Part 24

LEGS AND FEET.—Bones of legs small, slender, well feathered. Feet small, cat-like; the feather increasing the length, never the width.

TAIL.—Carried over back in tight curl; profusely feathered.

COAT.—Profuse, long, straight, rather silky, free from wave, not too flat.

COLOR.—Black, red, or white; parti-colors with white ground preferred. Blenheim markings are most showy. In variation of markings the colors must remain distinct.

WEIGHT.—Four to nine pounds; the smaller, the better.

THE SPANIEL (SUSSEX).

COLESHILL RUFUS.]

ORIGIN.—It is impossible to trace this origin.

USES.—Hunting pheasants, and sometimes for its fur.

SCALE OF POINTS, ETC.

Value. Head and jaw 15 Eyes 5 Ears 5 Neck 5 Body 15 Fore legs 10 Hind legs 10 Feet 5 Stern 5 Coat and feather 10 General appearance 15 --- Total 100

GENERAL APPEARANCE.—Rather massive and muscular, but with free movements and nice tail action.

HEAD.—Moderately long, massive, with depth in proportion; skull broad, and forehead prominent. Eyes hazel, fairly large, and languishing, not showing haw overmuch. Ears thick, fairly large, lobe-shaped; set moderately low, but relatively not so low as in black or other spaniels; carried close to head, and furnished with wavy hair.

NECK.—Muscular, and slightly arched.

BODY.—Long, with well-sprung ribs; fair depth behind shoulders.

NOSE.—Liver color; muzzle large and square; lips somewhat pendulous; nostrils well developed.

SHOULDERS AND CHEST.—Shoulders oblique; chest deep and wide.

BACK AND LOINS.—Back level and long; loins broad.

HIND QUARTERS.—Strong; thighs muscular, and hocks low down.

STERN.—Docked from 5 to 8 inches; set low; not carried above level of back.

LEGS AND FEET.—Legs short and strong; immense bone, and a slight bend in forearm. Feet large, round, and moderately well feathered, with short hair between toes.

COAT.—Body-coat abundant; flat or slightly waved, with no tendency to curl; moderately well feathered on legs and stern, but clean below hocks.

COLOR.—Dark golden liver; not a light ginger or snuff color, but of a rich bronze tinge, not puce.

WEIGHT.—From 35 to 45 pounds.

SPANIELS (TOY)—BLENHEIM, KING CHARLES, PRINCE CHARLES, AND RUBY.

RUBY SPANIEL. PRINCE CHARLES SPANIEL.]

ORIGIN.—Shrouded in mystery. The King Charles spaniel derives its name from the second monarch of that name, and the Blenheim from the family seat of the Duke of Marlborough. The colors were originally black, tan, and white for the first breed, and orange or red and white for the second.

USES.—Essentially pet dogs, though at one time the Blenheim was used for hunting birds.