development of the olfactory nerve, and thus secures the highest possible scenting powers.

Eyes. Not too full, but not small, receding, or overhung; colour, dark hazel or dark brown, or nearly black; grave in expression, and bespeaking unusual docility and instinct.

"Ears.-Set low down as possible, which greatly adds to the refinement and beauty of the whole head; moderately long and wide, and sufficiently clad with nice setter-like feather.

"Neck. Very strong and muscular, so as to enable the dog to retrieve his game without undue fatigue; not too short, however.

Body (including size and symmetry).—Long and very low, well ribbed up to a good strong loin, straight or slightly arched, never slack; weight from about 35lb. to 45lb.

"Nose.-Well developed, with good open nostrils, and always black in colour.

"Shoulders and Chest. Former sloping and free-latter deep and well developed, but not too round and wide.

"Back and Loin.-Very strong and muscular; level, and long in proportion to the height of the dog. Hind Quarters.—Very powerful and muscular; wide, and fully developed.

"Stern.-Well set on, and carried low, if possible

below the level of the back, in a perfectly straight line, or with a slight downward inclination; never elevated above the back, and in action always kept low; nicely fringed, with wavy feather of silky texture.

Feet and Legs.-Feet not too small and well protected between the toes with soft feather; good strong pads. Legs straight and immensely boned, strong and short, and nicely feathered with flat or waved setter-like feather. Over-much feathering below hocks objectionable.

"Coat.-Flat or slightly waved, and never curled -sufficiently dense to resist the weather, and not too short-silky in texture, glossy and refined in nature, with neither duffelness on the one hand nor curl or wireness on the other; on chest, under belly, and behind the legs there should be abundant feather, but never too much, and that of the right sort, namely, setter-like. The tail and hind quarters should be similarly adorned.

"Colour.-Jet black throughout, glossy and true. A little white on chest, though a drawback, not a disqualification.

General Appearance. That of a sporting dog, capable of learning and doing anything possible for his inches and conformation. A grand combination of beauty and utility.

CHAPTER XXV.

THE NORFOLK SPANIEL.

I AM somewhat at a loss to know why the ordinary liver and white spaniel came to be distinguished by the Spaniel Club as the Norfolk spaniel (the Club description, appended, says it may be black and white), for surely it is quite as common a commodity in any county in England as it has ever been in that from which it is supposed to have derived its name. Some say it was used there to assist the shooters on the Broads, but a similar dog has from time out of mind been used by shooters in other parts of the country. Personally, I do not consider the liver and white spaniel any particular variety at all, nor that it has ever been indigenous to Norfolk. Devonshire, for instance, has attained a celebrity for hardy spaniels that had to work in the rough country with which the county of lanes abounds, and do their work well.

Many of these were liver and white in colour, others black and white. They never came from Norfolk, nor did the

Devonshire men ever claim them as a distinct variety.

Youatt, writing in 1845, says the breed was first brought into note by the late Duke of Norfolk, who was supposed to have produced them by crossing with a black and tan terrier and a springer, the latter an ordinary spaniel. This, however, is not at all likely to be correct, for, long prior to that time, brown and white spaniels were found. Indeed, I fancy that was the prevailing spaniel colour. Far more likely the so-called Norfolk spaniel was produced originally by a cross between a curly-coated water spaniel and one of the ordinary Sussex or other breed.

Now, liver and white spaniels, almost infinite in shape and size, may be seen running about the streets in any country place. The sporting shopkeeper considers him the best shooting dog; and so he may be when properly trained-for he is a leggier, closer and better coated animal than the ordinary spaniel we see when standing at the ring side. He will retrieve well from both land and water, work a hedgerow or thick covert, and indeed do anything that is the special work of a spaniel.

Some of these liver and white spaniels are comparatively mute, whilst others are terribly noisyyelping and giving tongue when hunting, almost as freely as a hound. Still, the chances are that the

rustic sportsman who keeps but one dog, and has not accommodation for more, prefers a liver and white spaniel, be it Norfolk or otherwise, and, as a rule, if he be not addicted to poaching, prefers it to make a noise when rabbiting in the dense gorse

DESCRIPTIVE PARTICULARS.

"Head.-Skull long and rather narrow; a stop;

the muzzle long and broad to the end.

Eyes. Rather small, bright, and intelligent. Neck.-Long, strong, slightly arched. "Ears.-Long, low set, and lobular.

Body (including size and symmetry).—Fairly heavy body; legs rather longer than in other field