New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-19
DOGS
Il Book for the Sportsman and the
LoUCr Of animals.

THE SPORTING DOG. BY Joseph A. Graham
lIhe American Sports-nar's Library, Edited by
laanar Whitney, Illustrated svo Qp. tx. 81.
THE Macmillan Company.
ar. Grahar's book is at once a disouisition
on The various breeds OF sporting dog in this
country and in England. catalogue Of the
ooes that have won fame Tor their breeders and
Tor themselves, "a repository OF Information re-
Ea-ding the breeding. training and care OF the
dog. and collection OF anecdotes and short
stories about dogs. The author is thoroughly ~
home with his subject and his book ls well
written. He begins by calling upon American
dog f0ncier 10 thank Great Britain "for every
one OF our dogs oC sporting breed" He points
cut THAI the settlers and pointers foxhounds
and 5eaEies. greyhounds and water retrievers
cat feast as regards two breeds Of the last men
tioned auimals} which we use In our actual
sports are British Boston terriers alone have
special American status and. as the author
pert'lcutiy remarks. they are scarcely entitled
81 Doe called sporting dogs he is rather strict
in his classification. declaring emphatlcaIy
against the inclusion ~ coIlies. Nor does he
care 10 add to bis category an the hounds. the
Clun Hct' cocker and le'd spaniels and the ter
Tiers enumerated in technical classification In
cur country. be observes. none Of theee other
brecsE ignoring doCGehts and RATINGS used
20 80 alLEeelable extent do practical sport
Nfe8 sre IcGt Fancy varieties and as com
i-srsr.s" The scope of BIS work thus becomes
more limited Cham some would expect. but even
the most cautious wlI admit that Dc loses moth
ing in interest
q might be- imagined that the "trausp,antine~
81 British breeds to American soil would effect
a marked change both in the conformation and
nature of the breed transpiau;ed Mr. Graham
nndE. however. thar only our ioxhounds and
shooting dogs have become essentially different
IRON thelr British proEenltors.
Reduced 10 the simplest terms the change
wrought over here comes 10 this. The dry cli-
uate ~ extreme temperature, The nature OF
ing the loN and shooting game birds cause the
SURVIVED ol Tho httest to proceed iu the direction
81 Easter. lighter. more enduring animal per-
mars not moro sensitive OF nose but quicker in
The refeNes az judgment and action which are
Ele sequences Ot s.-Gt
Au American 1911 pardon every defect but
one That one ls Inability 30 stand the pace
Consequently. the dog which BIAS more beef
6no timber Dian his nerve ana power can carry
drops, as ire same American Sportsman would
cay, into the discard, and is replaced hy an
other which can So the route az the pace.
For speed and endurance are built upon the
FACTORS OF strong muscle on light bony
structure, heart action beyond the Ordinary
end nervous energy which cannot be physi-
csliy measured. hut rs even more necessary IN
q oog than 81 a. racehorse because whip and
Epur cannot force unwilling or falling powers
The author entertains a profound admiration
for the British breeder. For the American
breeder, us class. he has little praise. 1T IL
kistc-y," be informs ua that an American
plunEes into breeding with smart confidence
overdoes 90 the start. wearies about at the
point where hc might learn something, and
seeks another novelty. To the Englishman. sport
Goea with the land. and breeding with the
sport" There are some notable exceptions in
this country. however. and Mr. Graham paws
MS respects 20 them with enthusiasm. To The
others he addresses himself IN a manner cal
cuiaied 70 spur them 20 emulate their more
successful fellows. and 20 pay heed 10 the
nonno' practical advice IN which this book
EboundA