deep in the back ribs—­that is, well ribbed up.  LEGS AND FEET—­The stifles should be well bent and ragged, thighs long from hip to hock.  The forearm big and very muscular, the elbow well let down.  Pasterns short, muscular, and straight.  The feet very close and compact, and well protected by hair between the toes.  TAIL—­The tail should be set on almost in a line with the back; medium length, not curly or ropy, to be slightly curved or scimitar-shaped, but with no tendency to turn upwards; the flag or feather hanging in long, pendant flakes; the feather should not commence at the root, but slightly below, and increase in length to the middle, then gradually taper off towards the end; and the hair long, bright, soft and silky, wavy but not curly.  COAT AND FEATHERING—­The coat from the back of the head in a line with the ears ought to be slightly wavy, long, and silky, which should be the case with the coat generally; the breeches and fore-legs, nearly down to the feet, should be well feathered.  COLOUR AND MARKINGS—­The colour may be either black and white, lemon and white, liver and white, or tricolour—­that is, black, white, and tan; those without heavy patches of colour on the body, but flecked all over preferred.

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II.  THE IRISH SETTER.—­Though this variety has not attained such popularity as its English cousin, it is not because it is regarded as being less pleasing to the eye, for in general appearance of style and outline there is very little difference; in fact, none, if the chiselling of the head and colour of the coat be excepted.  The beautiful rich golden, chestnut colour which predominates in all well-bred specimens is in itself sufficient to account for the great favour in which they are regarded generally, while their disposition is sufficiently engaging to attract the attention of those who desire to have a moderate-sized dog as a companion, rather than either a very large or very small one.  Probably this accounts for so many lady exhibitors in England preferring them to the other varieties of Setters.  We have to go over to its native country, however, to find the breed most highly esteemed as a sporting dog for actual work, and there it is naturally first favourite; in fact, very few of either of the other varieties are to be met with from one end of the Green Isle to the other.  It has been suggested that all Irish Setters are too headstrong to make really high-class field trial dogs.  Some of them, on the contrary, are quite as great in speed and not only as clever at their business, but quite as keen-nosed as other Setters.  Some which have competed within the past few years at the Irish Red Setter Club’s trials have had as rivals some of the best Pointers from England and Scotland, and have successfully held their own.

The Secretary of the Irish Setter Club is Mr. S. Brown, 27, Eustace Street, Dublin, and the standard of points as laid down by that authority is as follows:—­