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
the _bracco_, whence doubtless is derived the French name _braque_ and
English brach. Finally the _agasse_ of the Bretons was certainly also
one of the progenitors of our present pointers. It was, says Oppian, a
breed of small and very courageous dogs, with long hair, provided with
strong claws and jaws, that followed hares on the sly under shelter of
vine-stocks and reeds and sportively brought them back to their
masters after they had captured them. We have certainly here the
source of our barbets and griffons.
Finally the net hunters of the middle ages also contributed much to
the creation of the pointer, for it is to them that we owe the setter.
It is erroneously, in fact, that certain authors have attributed the
creation of this dog to hunters with the arquebuse, since this weapon
did not begin to be utilized in hunting until the sixteenth century.
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