The following description of the points required in this popular variety, are laid down by my friend, Mr. T. Jacobs, of Newton Abbot, who is, as far as I know, about the most successful breeder and exhibitor of them, during the last twentyfive years, he says: - "My standard is as follows: Pleasing temper I always look to first, never breed from a bad tempered sporting dog, every sportsman knows what a nuisance they are. A long body, short legs, with plenty of bone and feather, a perfectly smooth, satin-like coat, with no inclination to wave, or curl, moderately long. Ears, covered with long, silky hair, not ringlets, well set, low down, and hung close to the cheeks, small, or narrow, where they spring from the head, and large and lobe shaped, at the base, well furnished with hair on the inside leather. A long head, not 'snipey,' or heavy, like the Clumber; dark, pleasing eye, a yellow eye indicates bad temper, and should be avoided. Level mouth, not 'pig-jawed,' or under hung, but I prefer the former fault to the latter, which prevails, I am sorry to see, in some of our present show dogs. Breeders should avoid them as stock dogs. A long neck, slightly arched, well clothed with muscle. Strong across the loins.

Ribs well sprung, and barrel-shaped. Belly, well clothed with long hair and not tucked up, like the Greyhound, a common fault. Broad chest, well clothed with muscle and feather. Feet, round and cat-like, with a plentiful supply of hair between the toes. Many have argued with me, that mating black with liver colour, would throw the black puppies rusty, or bad black, but, being a pigeon breeder for many years, and knowing that by mating duns and blacks, you procure a better black than by breeding two blacks together, I thought if this held good with Pigeons, why should it not do with dogs? I therefore mated my Spaniels, as before described, the result is,

BLACK-SPANIEL . CH. "BRIDFORP-BRILLCANT". M. WOOLLAND. OWNER.

I have never seen one bad black, and have bred more than a dozen litters in that way".