THE

SPORTSMAN'S CABINET;

Or, a Correct Delineation of the various Dogs used in the Sports of the Field; including the Canine Race in general; consisting of a Series of rich and masterly Engravings of every distinct Breed, from original Paintings taken from Life, purposely for the Work, by P. Reinagle, A. R. A. engraved in the Line Manner, by Mr. John Scott, by whom the Plates to Mr. Daniel's Rural Sports were executed; and interspersed with beautiful Vignettes, engraved on Wood. Forming a Collection of Superb Sporting Subjects, worthy the Attention of Amateurs of Field Sports, and Admirers of the Arts in general.

AGREEABLE to our promise in last month's Magazine, we now present our readers with an extract from the above elegant work.

THE POINTER.

"The pointer, notwithstanding the beautiful uniformity of his frame, the docility of his disposition, and his almost unlimited utility, has been less noticed by naturalists than any other individual of the species; hence it may be fairly inferred, this particular breed was formerly unknown in Britain, and that the stock was originally of foreign extraction. A combination of circumstances tend to justify the predominant opinion, that they were first introduced into this country from Spain, very little more than two centuries since, and that the heavy, awkward, slow, and somniferous appearance of the Spanish pointer is now nearly lost, in what may be candidly considered the judicious crosses and improved breed of our own.

"It is within the memory of the present generation, when the former were exceedingly common in every

part of the kingdom; but so infinitely numerous have been the speculative changes in collateral consanguinity, that one of the original breed is very rarely to be seen. This can create no surprise when it is recollected, that as there is no one of the species who can contri bute more to the pursuits and contemplative pleasures of sportsmen in general, it was the more natural to expect that greater efforts would be made to approach as near as possible to perfection. In this universality of opinion, such emulative struggles arose for superiority in the sporting world, that this particular breed has been so crossed, re-crossed, bred in, and bred out, to gratify the

intent of various individuals, as prompted by fancy, fashion, or caprice, that they are now to be seen of all sizes, colours, and qualifications; from the slow, short-muzzled, heavy shouldered remains of the perfect Spanish pointer, incapable of a second day's work, to the inand-in cross with a fox-hound, none of which are ever known to tire, and have frequently speed enough to catch a half grown leveret if they happen to jump up before them.

"It is no more than thirty or forty years since the breed of pointers were nearly white, or mostly variagated with liver-coloured spots; except the celebrated stock of the then celebrated Duke of Kingston, whose breed of blacks were considered superior to all in the kingdom, and sold for immense sums after his death. But so great has been the constantly increasing attachment to the sports of the field, particularly of the gun, that they have been since bred of every description, from a pure white, and a flea bitten blue or grey, to a com plete liver-colour or perfect black. After every experiment that can

have

have been possibly made by the best judges and the most energetic amateurs in respect to size, it seems at length a decided opinion with the majority, that when bred for every species of game and every diversity of country, both extremes are better avoided, and the line of mediocrity more advantageously adhered to; overgrown, fat, and heavy dogs, very soon get weary in the hot and early part of the season; the smaller sort are likewise attended with inconvenience in hunting high turnips, heath, ling, and broom-fields.

"It is a maxim much believed and frequently verified, that "there is hardly a convenience without an inconvenience;" so, as some advantages have been derived from the infinity of experimental crosses, both in respect to speed and the durability of labour and fatigue, so something has been sacrificed upon the score of patient forbearance and olfactory sensibility; the gradational shades and predominant propensity of each breed introduced by every change or cross-having so diversified the present stock, that the more trouble is experienced in making a pointer staunch for the field, in proportion as you are the more degrees removed from the original Spanish race with whom the point was supposed to have been inherent.

"The impatient dispositions and volatile rapidity of many, may have prompted them to an ideal possibility, and consequent attempt of introducing a breed with speed sufficient to outstrip the vivid extent of their own imaginations; that they might, by a kind of preternatural paradox, enjoy the supreme felicity of hunting and shooting at the same time; and from the inVOL. XXVI. No. 153.

dulgence of this suggestion may have arisen the emulative struggle for an increase of speed in addition to point, which has at length been accomplished to a most admirable degree of perfection. Pointers, however well they may have been bred, are never considered complete unless they are perfectly staunch, as it is termed, to "bird, dog, and gun," which uniformly implies, first, standing singly to a bird, or covey; secondly, to backing-or pointing instantly likewise the moment one perceives another dog to stand; and lastly, not to stir from his own point, at the rising of any bird, or the firing of any gun in the field, provided the game is neither sprung nor started at which he made his original point.

"To acquire these degrees of perfection the pliability and mildness of the pointer's natural disposition is most admirably adapted, for, independent of the attracting symmetry of his form, the sincerity of his unceasing attention, and the placid serenity of his unvaried attachment, he perceptibly possesses all those interior and inexplicable qualities calculated to command the confidence of man, whom he is so incessantly industrious to please, and to whose inculcations he is so constantly anxious to become obedient. So soon as he grows into a consciousness of his own powers and promised utility, he avails himself of every opportunity that can possibly recommend his services by the most fervent and solicitous prostrations at the feet of his master, eagerly and instinctively anxious to make his industrious efforts in the field.

"The art of breaking pointers was formerly considered a most difficult and mysterious concern ;