These accounts do not agree with the French writers, to whom, it is very
true, the English should not look for any particular information
respecting hunting or shooting. Nevertheless, all must admit that they
are quite as capable of describing their particular breeds of animals as
other nations; and, in fact, we might go farther, and say that they are
much more competent to the task than English writers, judging from their
extensive knowledge in comparative anatomy, and their long array of
celebrated writers on natural history--the Cuviers, Buffon, &c.
'Baudrillart', in his 'Dictionnaire des Chases', describes the French
Pointer as having endurance and great industry, and of their being used
oftentimes solely for 'la grande chasse'. In the atlas of plates
accompanying this interesting work, will be found two distinct and
extremely correct drawings of the English Pointer, and also an engraving
of the French variety, which latter, certainly, is represented as being
equally, if not more muscular and and hardy, than the English.
As for the furrow in the nose, as mentioned by Youatt, no reference is
made to it in connection with this species, and in the engraving the
nose is square. But in describing another variety, known in France as
coming from Spain, 'Baudrillart' states, that they are vulgarly called
"à deux nez, parceque ce chien a les narines separées par une gouttiere."
As for Mr. Youatt's declaration in reference to the furrow in the nose
"materially interfering with the acuteness of smell," I cannot
understand how, or on what principle of reasoning, this slight deviation
from nature should affect the properties of the olfactory apparatus.
That these furrow-nosed dogs are inferior to the English in scenting
powers, as stated by Mr. Youatt, we do not question; but that their
deficiency depends upon this furrow, remains to be proved.
This furrow in the nose is merely a deformity, and like many others in
various breeds of animals, was solely the result of accident in the
first place; and as we often see, even in the human species, the
deformities and infirmities of our ancestors entailed upon their
progeny, so has this 'cut in the nose' been so extensively inherited by
succeeding generations, that it has now become a distinctive mark of a
whole class of dogs.
The French Pointer, as known in this country, is a beautiful,
well-shaped, compact, square-nosed dog; not so long or high as the
English, but extremely well built, full-chested, large head, pendent
ears, projecting eyes, large feet, and thickish tail. His colour, seldom
white, but generally intermingled with small spots of brown or chocolate
over the body, and more particularly over the head and ears. Such a dog
is in the possession of the writer, who knows nothing of his ancestry;
but is convinced from those he saw in France, that they must have been
imported from that country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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