In my young days the use of the setter was almost confined to the moors of Scotland, Wales, the North of England, and Ireland. Almost every grouse-shooter had his own particular breed or strain, but the five I have alluded to in process of time absorbed all the rest. Gradually the setter was spread over England, but in most cases preference was given to dogs resembling those which are now par excellence called English, that is to say, setters with no marked difference from the type of their kind, either in colour or shape. About sixty years ago the late Mr. Laverack of Manchester began to be noted for his breed, which was derived from a single pair, and he alleged that ever since that time he bred “in and in ” to them without outcross of any kind. These two were named ” Ponto ” and ” Old Moll,” bred by the Rev. A. Harrison, near Carlisle, and he had kept the breed pure for thirty-four years, so that, if Mr. Laverack’s account is true, the Laverack setter has been bred ” in and in ” far a hundred years. Fearing a bad result, he said that he had at various times crossed his bitches with external blood, but always finding a falling off in the produce, had gone back to his old stock. Probably, however, he occasionally made a slip in his memory, and certainly there was a curious admixture of colour in his kennel, if we are to believe his account. In other cases of inbreeding, even of much less stringency and duration than his, I have always remarked that the colour and markings were almost repeated throughout the strain, but Mr. Laverack’s dogs were of all colours with a white ground, some being white and red, some white and blue, some white and black, and others again white, black, and tan. Latterly the blue Belton (a thickly ticked white and black) was the pre-vailing colour, but even with these a whole litter never appeared alike. His celebrated ” Countess ” was of this colour, but her brother and sister were black and white in large patches. It h not, however, denied that his strain vere very much inbred, and by carefully selecting dogs with a strong tendency to natural point, his breed showed the same condition of the nervous system, and would, like the Frenchman’s pointer, fall into attitude at the ” toho.” Unfortunately this close breeding produced a great many idiots and delicate constitutions, -and if only a Laverack puppy had his senses, his limbs of good formation, and escaped the ills of teething, distemper, &c., he was sure to be a good dog in the field when well broken, but he required a deal of this, being naturally wild and headstrong.
Soon after the introduction of field trials the Laverack setter attained a very high reputation. chiefly founded mi the perform-ances of “Countess” and her sister ” Nellie,” aided to some extent by the result of the cross between the Laverack blood and the strains of Mr. Paul Hackett of Newcastle, Mr. W. Lort (the well-known Plage), Mr. Wittington, Sir Bellingham Graham, and Mr. Sbatter. Mr. Purcell Llewellyn has spent a great deal of time and money in carrying on the ” selection of the fittest” for breeding purposes, and has produced a strain which he calls the ” field trial” breed, composed of lines from all the above sources, and which has been fairly successful in this country as well as in America. Commencing with Laverack bitches purchased at various times, he crossed them with Mr. Statter’s ” Dan ” which do« o he purchased at the Shrewsbury field trials of 1871, together with his brother “Dick,” after performing there marvellously well in the stake for the best brace. On the whole, it may be said that the Laverack setter has attained a higher reputation during the last fifteen years than any other English setter ; but I very much question whether it was equal to some other breeds, such as Sir Bellingham Graham’s, Sir Vincent Corbett’s, Mr. Wittington’s, Mr. Paul Hackett’s, Mr. W. Lort’s, and some others whose names escape my memory. I have myself possessed one or two setters superior even to ” Countess,” and one bitch quite as fast, with a better noce ; while out of a litter I bred from her, two dogs turned out A—1 in all but pace, which certainly was not equal to that of their mother. But Mr. Laverack was lucky in getting ” Countess ” and “Nellie” into the. hands. of a gentleman who spared nothing in obtaining success in public, for with their exception and that of Mr. Brewiss’s Dash II ,(who was not a pure Laverack, being crossed with Armstrong’ s “Kate)” nothing else has appeared from his kennel approaching perfection. His dogs were heavy and spaniel-like, as far as I have seen ; ” Dash II.,” however, though showing a spaniel-form, displaying good pace, and standing in grand style.
Points of the English setter :—
Value
Skull . . . . . . 10 Legs,elbows, and hocks . . 12
Nose . . . . . . . 10 Feet . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Ears, lips, and eyes . . 4 Flag . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Neck. . . . . . . . . 6 Texture and feather of coat . 5
Shoulders and chest . 15 Colour . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Back, quarters, and stifles 15 Symmetry and quality . . . . 5
Total . . 100
The skull of this dog differs from all others, being intermediate between that of the field-spaniel and the pointer’s, indicating almost with certainty that the breed was established by a cross between the two, but, when tried nowadays, producing what is called ” the dropper.” Though this dog is useful enough in the first generation, and often exactly like one or the other of his parents ; yet, if the cross is persevered with, the result is always a failure. The occipital protuberance of the pointer is absent, and the brows are more distinct, the skull itself being narrower across the ears. The nose should, on the average, be at least 4 inches long from the corner of the eye to the tip, and as wide as possible, without the slightest approach to ” snipiness,” but not quite so square as the pointer’s. In the best breeds the upper outline is slightly hollow, and the brows should be raised at a sharp and decided angle from it with a leanness in front of the eyes which is very characteristic. As in the pointer, and for the same reason, the nostrils should be wide apart and patulous, and the end of the nose moist and cool. Excepting in white setters or very pale lemon and whites, the end should be always black or dark liver, and even in them it is preferred of that colour ; but a pink nose may be pardoned in a whole white dog. The teeth should be quite level.
Ears, lips, and eyes.—The ears should be shorter than the pointer’s in leather, but the hair fringing them brings them in appearance nearly to the same lenght. The leather must be thin and soft, and must hang close to the cheeks, without the slightest tendency to “prick.” The hair is very silky on the ears of good breeds, and is usually about two inches in length. The lips are, perhaps, not quite so full as the pointer’s, but there is a decided pouch at the angle, which when on game is usually full slaver.
The eyes are of medium size, more animated than the pointer’s, sad of all shades of brown, the darker the better. They should be set straight across, and not at any angle. The neck has a different contour from the pointer’s, not showing the decided convexity in either direction peculiar to that dog, and feeling thin and soft to the touch, with a slight hollow on each side. The skin is loose, but no throatiness or dewlap is allowed.
Shoulders and chest.—In Mr. Laverack’s breed, the chest of the dogs is usually very round and barrel-like, making their elbows stand wide apart, and tending to produce a slow pace. In the bitches no such conformation exists, and hence, perhaps, the latter have generally come out better in public than the former. I have not remarked this difference in any other breed, but certainly I have seen no exception in his, nor have I ever known any other strain of setters so thick and ” cobby ” in the body, and so like the Clumber spaniel in outline; of course, not to the same extent as in that dog.
Mr. Laverack was so prejudiced in favour of his own breed, that in his book he even went so far as to recommend a wide chest. I very much prefer, in common with all other setter fanciers, a somewhat narrow chest, moderately deep in front, but but with the back ribs well let down. This formation gives the light airy gallop of the Irish setter and yet allows sufficient room for lungs and heart. The shoulders should be very sloping, and the blades wide at the top from before backwards, so as to give plenty of room for the muscles moving the arm.
Back, quarters and stifles – A strong back is a great point in this dog, who is apt to be narrow in this part, and especially at the junction with the ribs. Ragged hips are often met with in the best strains and with a proper allowance of muscle should be valued instead of the reverse. A slight arch falling to the root of the tail is a beauty in my eyes, but not set as in the wheel-back.” Wide stifles, well bent t should be looked for; and in fact, the propellers must be attended in every respect.
.-Setters are almost straight always straight on their legs, with elbows well let down and strong hocks. The ansence of these points is, therefore, to be regard d as unpardonable. Strong lower thighs are very important. The feet are the strong points of the setter, and without hard soles and plenty of hair between the toes he loses half of his recommendations. The toes are often hare-like, instead of resembling those of the cat ; and I am by no means sure that when so formed there is not an advantage.
The flag differs from that of all other dogs, being fringed with long hair falling like the teeth of a comb, and without the bushiness of other hairy tales. The bones themselves should taper from the root, and should be curved like a scimitar when at rest, rising a little above the level of the back when “on. the point,” and then displaying the comb-like appearance to which I have alluded, with a very slight curve only. The feather should be free from curl, silky in texture, and about 6 or 7 inches long in the middle, tapering to half an inch at the extreme point.
Texture and feather of coat.—The texture is an indication of breed, and should be silky, with a slight wave, but no curl. In the best breeds the coat looks and feels greasy without being really so ; at least no grease is left on the hand when patting it. The feather should fringe the fore and hind legs thinly but regularly, and also the flag, as above remarked.
The colour varies greatly, and is valued according to the following scale:—(1) Black and white ticked with large splashes, known as the ” blue Belton ; ” (2) orange and white freckled, known as ” orange Belton ; ” (3) orange or lemon and white with-out ticks ; (4) liver and white ticked ; (5) black and white, with slight tan markings, which, though the colour of the Gordons, is met with in many pure-bred English strains; (6) black and white ; (7) liver and white without ticks ; (8) pure white ; 9) black ; 10) liver ; 11) red or yellow. -Symmetry and quality are displayed by the setter as much as or more than any other breed. There is a very elegant outline, with artistic proportions ; and even when no longer used as an aid to the gun, this dog delights the eye as much as the greyhound. He has also a most affectionate disposition, and makes an excellent companion to either sex.
