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.
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