Part 22

STERN.—Set on level, and carried low.

THE SPANIEL (COCKER).

WATNONG I.]

ORIGIN.—Presumably an offshoot of the field-spaniel.

USES.—Hunting, principally woodcock and partridge.

* SCALE OF POINTS, ETC.

Value. General appearance 10 Head 15 Eyes 5 Ears 10 Neck and shoulders 10 Body 15 Length 5 Legs and feet 15 Coat 10 Tail 5 --- Total 100

GENERAL APPEARANCE, SYMMETRY, ETC.—A well-built, graceful, and active dog, showing strength without heaviness. Any of the spaniel colors is allowable. (See Field-spaniel.) Weight not over 28 nor less than 18 pounds.

HEAD.—Fair length; muzzle cut off square, tapering gradually from the eye, not snipy; skull rising in a graceful curve from stop, and with same outline at occiput, the curve line being flatter, but still curving at middle of skull. Head should be narrowest at the eyes, and broadest at set-on of ears, and, viewed from the front, outline between ears should be a nearly perfect segment of a circle. Stop is marked, and a groove runs up the skull, gradually becoming less apparent, till lost about half-way to occiput. This prevents the domed King Charles skull, and produces a light, graceful, well-balanced head. Jaws level. Teeth strong, regular. Eyes round and moderately full, corresponding in color with coat. Ears lobular, set on low; leather fine, and not extending beyond nose; well clothed with long, silky hair, which must be straight or wavy—no positive curls or ringlets.

NECK AND SHOULDERS.—Neck sufficiently long to allow the nose to reach the ground easily; muscular, and running into well-shaped, sloping shoulders.

BODY.—Ribs well sprung; chest of fair width and depth; body well ribbed back, short in the coupling; flank free from any tucked-up appearance; loins strong; length from tip of nose to root of tail about twice the height at shoulder.

LEGS AND FEET.—Fore legs short, strong in bone and muscle, straight, neither bent in nor out at elbows; pasterns straight, short, and strong; elbows well let down. Hind legs strong; well-bent stifles; hocks straight, and near the ground. Feet of good size, round, turning neither in nor out; toes not too spreading; soles furnished with hard, horny pads, with plenty of hair between the toes.

COAT.—Abundant, soft, and silky, straight or wavy, without curl; chest, legs, and tail well feathered; no topknot nor curly hair on top of head.

TAIL.—Usually docked; carried nearly level with back. At work it is carried lower, with a quick, nervous action which is characteristic of the breed.

THE SPANIEL (FIELD).

BLACK NIGHT.]

ORIGIN.—Probably one of the oldest of the known breeds, coming originally from Spain; in fact, it is claimed as the parent of the setter.

USES.—Hunting game-birds, principally woodcock and partridge.

* SCALE OF POINTS, ETC.

Value. Head 15 Ears 10 Neck 5 Shoulders and arms 10 Legs and feet 15 Body and quarters 20 Coat and feather 15 Tail 10 --- Total 100

GENERAL APPEARANCE.—Considerably larger, heavier, stronger in build than the cocker. Conformation should be long and low, more so than the cocker. Colors most preferred are solid black or liver; but liver and white, black and white, black and tan, orange, and orange and white are all legitimate spaniel colors.

HEAD.—Long, and not too wide, carried gracefully; skull showing clearly cut brows, but without a very pronounced stop; occiput distinct, and rising considerably above set-on of ears. Muzzle long, with well-developed nose, not too thick immediately in front of eye, and maintaining nearly same breadth to the point; sufficient flew to give a certain squareness to muzzle and avoid snipiness. Teeth sound and regular. Eyes intelligent and dark, not showing haw, nor so large as to be prominent or goggle-eyed. Ears long, and hung low on skull, lobe-shaped, and covered with straight or slightly wavy silky feather.

NECK.—Long, graceful, and free from throatiness; not too thick, but strongly set into shoulders and brisket.

SHOULDERS AND ARMS.—Shoulder-blades should lie obliquely, with sufficient looseness of attachment to give freedom to forearms, which should be well let down.

LEGS AND FEET.—Fore legs straight, very strong and short. Hind legs well bent at stifle-joint, with plenty of muscular power. Feet of good size, with thick, well-developed pads; not flat nor spreading.

BODY AND QUARTERS.—Long, with well-sprung ribs; strong, slightly arching loins, well coupled to the quarters, which may droop slightly toward stern.

COAT AND FEATHER.—Coat as straight and flat as possible, silky in texture, of sufficient denseness to afford good protection to the skin in thorny coverts, and moderately long; feather long and ample, straight or very slightly wavy, heavily fringing ears, back of fore legs, between toes, and on back of quarters.

TAIL.—Strong, and not carried higher than level of back.