Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 07.djvu/648

* FIELD COOKING. 5 'JO FIELD DOG. commanders are responsible for the proper in- struction of post cooks, the kitchens being under the direct charge of specially trained non-com- missioned officers. On campaign troops are sup- plied from the quartermaster's department with the Buzzacott oven, a rectangular, box-like adapta- tion of the Dutch oven, from 175 to 200 pounds in weight, having a top and bottom of sheet iron or steel, and measuring 25 by 35 by 14 inches; adapted for roasting, baking, frying, broiling, or stewing, easy of transportation and capable of compact packing. Where these are not available, troops are trained in the construction and use of the many improvised trench ovens in general use throughout all civilized armies. A good type of the latter is the broad-arrow form of trench used by the British Army. Two. three, or more trenches are constructed, each joining a common chimney at different angles, the mouths of which, spray-shaped, are about 18 inches in depth, the trench itself being graded from the mouth to about four inches at the chimney. Earth exca- vated from the trench is used in building the chimney and packing round the pans, w : hieh are placed bridgewise across the trench, confining the heat and securing good draught. The advan- tages of this system are its independence of transport, only a pick and shovel being required for constructive purposes: little or no skill re- quired on the part of the troops, and, most im- FlO. 3. BROAD-ARROW COOKING TRENTn, British Army pattern. portant factor of all, a number of pans simul- taneously served by one ordinary fire. The Army Service Corps of the British Army kills and pre- pares the fresh beef, and bakes the bread used by the troops, regimental quartermasters receiving on requisition the rations which are prepared for consumption by the regimental cooks as above described. The armies of Continental Europe have meth- ods similar to the United States, French troops being additionally equipped for marching pur- poses with a small coffee-kettle, which, together with a bundle of dried brushwood, is carried by two men of each section or platoon. When fatigued and halted for any length of time, coffee is made by them for the men of their section. , the liest descriptive and < prehensive authorities on this subject, is the ' nited States Wanval for Army Cooks, published by the War I lepa ri ment. FIELD DOG. One of a distincl class of dogs which aid men in the capture of game birds bird-dog Dh< group comprises pointers, i ioycrs, and the Chesapeake Baj dog; also, incidentally, some spaniels (described under The function of these dogs is to range Id in front of 1 he hunter, and to detei mine anting the presence of the birds Bought. When :i pointer ted a bird oi bird he will indicate or 'point' ii by stopping short with directed toward the spot where the game is, and he will not stir until the gunner comes up to him, when he will on order, if it be neces- sary, go yet nearer to the birds until they be- come so alarmed as to rise from their cover and expose themselves to the gun. If a setter is used he will do the like, but instead of maintaining an erect position, lie will crouch or 'set,' as an in- dication of the bird's presence. The retriever is mainly sent into the cover after birds which have been shot but have fallen at a distance and out of sight. He scents them out, gently picks them up. and brings them to his master. The Settee. Three breeds of setters are recog- nized: (1) The English, which is white speckled dispei.-edly with larger or smaller portions of black, each color standing out from the other well defined and distinct. The English setters are divisible into two main strains, the Laveracks and the Llewellins. (2) The Gordon setter, which is a rich, glossy plum-black, with deep sienna or dark mahogany-tan markings on lips, cheek, throat, and on feet and legs. (3) The Irish setter, which is uniformly colored a rich golden chestnut. The English setter has an au- thentic history as far back as 1555, when Robert Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, is recorded as using the setter when netting birds. The date of the origin of the Irish is more doubtful, but Gervase Markham, writing his Art of Folding in 1621, and dealing with the question of the setter's colors, does not mention it. The Gordon was produced in the kennels of the Duke of Gordon about the year 1820. The setters are handsome dogs, weighing from 48 to 60 pounds (the bitches 8 to 10 pounds lighter), with soft, silky hair on the body, fringing longer on the belly and behind the legs, and longer still (the 'feather') on the under part of the tail, which tapers down, however, to a point. The hair may slightly wave, but never curl. In form they are exceedingly artistic and graceful, and in temper obedient and gentle. The head of the setter is peculiar to itself — long and keen, with a good depth from the bridge of the nose to the lower part of the lip. The shoulders should not be so heavy as to interfere with their full and free action, yet the bones should be strong and the legs well muscled. Cat-like feet, well covered with hair, are desirable. The tail, or 'Hag,' is one of the most striking features. It should be carried straight out without the least in- clination to turn up over the back. The Pointer. There are many varieties of pointers — English, Spanish. Portuguese, Russian, French, and Dalmatian i see Coach Doo), vary- ing only, however, in size from the heavy, huge Spaniard to the diminutive Frenchman. TheEng lish and American dogs are the typical point- ers. Short-coated, rat tailed, cat footed, without an atom of hairy padding on them, st rone l.oned. tight-muscled, upright, bright, great goers, and I, een scented, they are i lels of all a field dog should be. Though nol so large now as lie was in earlier days, the modern pointer i- of good size, weighing generally from 50 to 55 pounds. The points of a typical specimen of this breed should include :i head moderately large, wide rather than long, with a high forehead and an intelligent eve: the muzzle should be square in front; the neck long and free from dewlap or ruff; the body si id have a strong loin, wide hips, and :i chest well let down: a tail strong 't the root and growing liner to within two inches