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THE SPANISH POINTER,

(Canis Avicularis. Var. a. Linnæus.)

THIS dog, as his name implies, is a native of the Peninsula, and was introduced into this country at a very early period. Great attention was paid by sportsmen for a long series of years to preserve in purity this important breed; but lately it has in a great measure been set aside in field-sports, a more improved race having been produced by crossing, usually called the English Pointer.

The Spanish Pointer is much larger and stronger than the English, and is also more steady. seems to have an inherent aptness for receiving inHe struction. Indeed it requires but little tuition to render him fit for the field; as, in most instances, young dogs of this breed will point of their own accord, whilst the more improved kinds require considerable drilling to initiate them, and make them do their work steadily.

The Spanish breed is the most staunch of all dogs, and if they had speed and activity in proportion to their steadiness, they would excel all others which are

auxiliary to man in the sports of the field. From their weight, however, they are not so well suited for an extensive range, nor are they so hardy as the English dog, on which account they are ill adapted for the laborious amusement of grouse-shooting. They are now chiefly used by those who confine their sport to the pheasant and the partridge.

A REFINED DOG.

Extract of a Letter from a Spanish Officer in Chile.

"A gentleman now in Turkey has a fine Pointer, that he very greatly values, and which is a constant attendant on him. Stepping into a public assembly three years ago with this gentleman, we paid our compliments to a certain noted baronet, who has received so many wounds in the cause of Venus, that his whole carcass is a corrupted mass of distempers. Hector immediately made up to the same corner of the room, and for two or three moments with great briskness snuffed about this hero's garments, and then with a mortified look, taking two or three traverses round the apartment, he hung his ears, and with his tail between his legs, fairly scampered down stairs, notwithstanding the repeated calls we made after him. As I always regarded the actions of this animal as somewhat above common instinct, for he is a remarkably cunning creature, this immediately struck me, and I ran down after him, when I found him drinking out of a gutter that ran from a pump before the door; that finished, he rolled himself in the dust two

or three times, gave some yelps, and quietly laid himself before the threshold, to wait our coming out; nor could all my entreaties or menaces get him in again. Is there any thing surprising in this? No; the gentleman was grown so nauseous, that even a brute could not endure him, and was forced to use methods to get rid of the haut-gout even after he had left him. Indeed we, more complaisant than honest Hector, stood the whole disagreeable perfume at the expense of sickened stomachs, to preserve the appearance of good manners."

THE ENGLISH POINTER,

(Canis Avicularis. Var. Linnæus.)

THIS dog is sprung from the Spanish Pointer, but is of a much lighter form, and much more rapid in his movements. He was obtained originally by a cross of the latter and the fox-hound, and has since

been re-crossed with the harrier. The English Pointer is of a great variety of sizes, being in this particular bred according to the taste of the sportsman.

This dog possesses a beautiful symmetry of frame, and in this respect is perhaps the most elegant of all the canine tribe. His docility and pliability of temper, too, are truly astonishing, and he enjoys, at the same time, the sense of smelling in an exquisite degree.

About sixty years ago the breed of pointers was nearly white, or mostly variegated with liver-coloured spots, except the celebrated dogs of the then Duke of Kingston, whose black Pointers were considered superior to all others in the kingdom, and sold for immense sums after his death. Since that time they have been bred of all sizes and colours, and have at length attained that degree of perfection for which they are now so justly prized all over Europe.

Dogs of the middle size are now generally considered the best by experienced sportsmen; the larger kinds, like the Spanish pointer, are too heavy, and soon tire in warm weather, although they are best adapted for hunting in high turnips, heath, and broomfields.

In proportion as the breed of Pointers diverges in blood from their Spanish original, the difficulty of training them, and rendering them staunch for the field, increases, as they seem to lose a quality inherent in the latter dog.

Pointers are never considered complete in training, unless they are perfectly staunch to bird, dog,