Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 07.djvu/649

* FIELD DOG. 59 I FIELD GLASS. of (lie tip, when il decreases to a sharp point (an unfailing indicat i true pointer blood). The shoulders should be long, slanting, erful, the legs strong and the feel thick-soled; muscular haunches and thighs, well-bent stifles, ami large, strong bocks. In color pointers vary rery much. The -i u ual combinations are liver ami while, yellow and white, and black and white. There are some whole-colored black ones, Iml n good admixture of while is preferable, so thai the dog may be easily distinguished when he is ranging in cover. The Retrieves. This dog is most useful when the birds are aqua lie or are such as haunt sloughs, from which he will gather in the killed or wounded with unerring nose. There are main- ly two kinds, the English and the American, or Chesapeake Bay dog. The English variety has been generated mainly by missing two other breeds, such as the spaniel and Newfoundland, or the spaniel and | lie, breed tough- skinned and stiffly coated, and both dogs of re- markable powers of scenting. The rest is a mat- ter of training. There are two distinct strains of the English retriever, the curly-coated black, and the flat or wavy-coated. The latter has the appearance of a heavily made, somewhat clumsy setter, with more bone and substance than is re- quired in a fast field dog. The former has the body covered with short curls, though the head is smooth. The curly variety may be either black or liver-colored. Each weighs from 55 to 68 pounds. As the function of this dog is to carry dead game, the jaws should lie long and strong; and that his scenting powers may have full ca- pacity the nose should be wide, the nostrils open, and its end moist and cool. The Chesapeakt Bay dog is the American re- triever pure and simple. The origin is prob- lematic, but he derives his name, like the New- foundland, from the home where he first became famous. He is the finest retriever in the world. No sea is too boisterous, no water too cold, no bird too big, from a Canada goose to a swan, and no wounded bird., be he diving duck or crippled woodcock, can escape his nose and swimming skill, lie is a large dog, weighing G5 pounds, with a thick, short, coarse, sedge-grass-colored coat about an inch and a half in length, and with a tendency to wave over the shoulders, back, and loins, and underneath this a short woolly fur covering the whole skin. His legs are somewhat short and he is provided with well-webbed feet. Griffon. The Germans bave a Held dog which they consider superior to either the pointer or setter, inasmuch as he is capable of taking the place of both those breeds. It is called 'griffon,' and sometimes 'bassett-griffon.' It is a very ro- bust dog, with a rough, hard coat that undoubt- edly is a great protection to it in a district where the undergrowth is thick and low: stands rather higher than the setter, and in color is a grizzly liver. The griffon made its first show appearance in America at the Westminster Kennel Club's Show at New York in 1901. See Dog, and con- sult the authorities there mentioned; and Hate Of BtTNTING-DoGS. Dog-Breaking. The field dog is a hunter by nature, but before requiring him to exercise his faculties to scent and locate game, and yet re- frain from catching it, he musl be specially trained. This training begins with yard-break- ing, in which the puppy is taught to remain quid in confinement and to become to i ollai and chain. Hie iub • quenl field 1 ion «ill depend upon I point ers, settei ifferent pected to Hush their game ; p nol to do so, nor arc they usually expected to retrieve it, as rd ric ,i are i mploj ed foi i lial pu i he i impoi ' i i principli i lish the habits of obedience I confidence, :iiter which the dog i taught I bed until, if he be :i spaniel, pointer, or ■ tter, he is sent forward. Then be must quai i < i bis field only w ii bin certain limit - gunner, and on signal must no! exceed thie limit. The next step is to inculcate the knowledge that i except in the case of ;i ~| iel i v has loca drds he must nol flush them. To teach Inn io 'down' i> a itivelj short process n ith the average well bred do- ing to heel is as easily learned. Most dogs will range when told: all they need i- a direction as to where thej should begin. under training should he started alv wind, that he may catch the scent, to be impressed on him are to slop when sig- naled, to return, and to start again. When a puppy first Bushes a covej oi birds he will usual- ly proceed to chase them, a fault which reeled by taking him back to the exact spot where he should bave stopped and dropping him to hand: be will thus gradually learn to drop to wing. If a perfectly seasoned and steady dog is available when the puppy is being taught to back, it will be found to expedite the training greatly. Field trials are competitions over definite areas, before competent judge-, who follow the dogs and gunners over a game country 1 award prizes according to the points of merit lished by each dog in the class for which it is especially fitted by nature and training. These trials arc not restricted to bird-dogs. The fox- hound and the beagle as well are tried out their respective quarric-. Consult: Hutchinson, Dog-Breaking (London. 1865) ; H. II.. Tht tifie Education o/ the Dor/ for the Gun (London. 1890). FIELDFARE (from AS. {,1,1, field ■ to go). A thrush (Turdus pilaris) of noi Europe, visiting Great Britain and the Medi- terranean countries in winter, and going in summer to breed in Scandinavia. The general color of the male is gray, the feathers tipped with a brownish-black elongated spot ; the throat and breast reddish yellow, streaked and -polled with black; the fore part of the back and wings rich i hestnul ; the tail slightly forked and nearly black: the under parts white. II may generally be found iii small flocks — in fields, if i is mild, feeding on worms, -nails, etc., or, ill severe weal her. about hedges, thicket-, and w Is, wherever haws and other such fruits or „•,■.]- are abundant. It is extremely plentiful in Norway in summer, where its nests are built in birches and firs, and. contrary to the ordinary habits of thrushes, in society, numerous nests being often found iii the same tree. The fieldfare i- easil; tamed, and sings well in captivity, the song being melodious, but not brilli FIELD GLASS. A small binocular teli constructed SO as to have considerable magnifying