red from a cross between the setter and the
Newfoundland--or the strong spaniel and Newfoundland. I do not mean the
heavy Labrador, whose weight and bulk is valued because it adds to his
power of draught, nor the Newfoundland, increased in size at Halifax and
St. John's to suit the taste of the English purchaser,--but the far
slighter dog reared by the settlers on the coast,--a dog that is quite as
fond of water as of land, and which in almost the severest part of a North
American winter will remain on the edge of a rock for hours together,
watching intently for anything the passing waves may carry near him. Such
a dog is highly prized. Without his aid the farmer would secure but few of
the many wild ducks he shoots at certain seasons of the year. The patience
with which he waits for a shot on the top of a high cliff--until the
numerous flock sail leisurely underneath--would be fruitless, did not his
noble dog fearlessly plunge in from the greatest height, and successfully
bring the slain to shore.

106. Probably a cross from the heavy, large headed setter, who, though so
wanting in pace, has an exquisite nose; and the true Newfoundland, makes
the best retriever. Nose is the first desideratum. A breaker may doubt
which of his pointers or setters possesses the greatest olfactory powers,
but a short trial tells him which of his retrievers has the finest nose.

107. Making a first-rate retriever is a work of time, but his being
_thoroughly_ grounded in the required initiatory lessons facilitates
matters surprisingly. Indeed after having been taught the "drop"--22, 24,
25,--to "fetch"--92 to 94--and "seek dead" in the precise direction he is
ordered--XI of 119,--almost any kind of dog can be made to retrieve. The
better his nose is, the better of course he will retrieve. Sagacity, good
temper, quickness of comprehension, a teachable disposition, and all
cultivated qualities are almost as visibly transmitted to offspring as
shape and action; therefore the stronger a dog's hereditary instincts lead
him to retrieve, the less will be the instructor's trouble; and the more
obedient he is made to the signals of the hand, the more readily will he
be put upon a scent. Dogs that are by nature quick rangers do not take
instinctively to retrieving. They have not naturally sufficient patience
to work out a feeble scent. They are apt to overrun it. A really good
retriever will pursue a wounded bird or hare as accurately as a bloodhound