that now the largest are scarcely half the size of the Spanish
bulldog, and the small ones attain hardly the size of the pug,
although they preserve considerable width of chest and muscular
strength.


POINTERS.

Man hunted for ages with dogs that he united in a pack; but these
packs were of a very heterogeneous composition, since they included
strong dogs, light dogs very swift of foot, shepherds' dogs, and
others noted for acuteness of scent, and even mongrels due to a
crossing with the wolf. It is from the promiscuousness of all these
breeds that has arisen our ordinary modern dog.

The pointer is of relatively recent creation, and is due to the
falconers. In our western countries, falconry dates from the fourth
and fifth centuries, as is proved by the capitularies of Dagobert.
This art, therefore, was not brought to us from the East by the
crusaders in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, as stated by Le
Maout in his Natural History of Birds.

The falconer soon saw the necessity of having a dog of nice scent
having for its role the finding or hunting up of game without pursuing
it, in order to permit the falcons themselves to enter into the sport.
This animal was called the bird dog, and was regarded as coming from
various countries, especially from Spain, whence the name of spaniel
that a breed of pointers has preserved. It is quite curious to find
that for three or four centuries back there have been no spaniels in
Spain. From Italy also and from southern climes comes what is called