POINTER, a kind of dog nearly allied to the true hounds(q.v.), but not reckoned one of them., It is remarkable for its habit of pointing at game; its whole body, and partic ularly its head. indier.ting the position of the game to the sportsman; and a well-trained pointer will remain long immovable in the attitude of pointing, not going forward to dis turb the game which its exquisite power 'of ,seent has enabled it to discover. It is recorded of two pointers that they stood an hour and a quarter without moving, whilst Mr. Gilpin painted them in the act. The pointer, when he scents game, stops so sud denly and completely, that even the fore-foot, already lifted, remains suspended in the air. Without the pointer, the sportsman would have comparatively little success in the pursuit of grouse; but the dog performs for him the laborious task of "beating" the wide moors. Well-trained pointers will scarcely point at anything except "game;" but inferior dogs often point at almost any living creature the odor of which affects their nos trils. The habit of pointing, once acquired, appears to become hereditary. so that very young pointers often exhibit it in great perfection. It has been explained, with the
crouching of the setter, as "the natural start of surprise or interest which all dogs give when coming suddenly upon the scent or sight of their natural prey; modified by culti vation, and by transmission through many generations, each, by education, improving upon the eapahilitieb of the former."—See Bell's British Quadrupeds.
The breed of pointers now most common in Britain is believed to be crossed with the fox-hound, to which there is considerable resemblance in colors as well as in form. The figure is very muscular, the hair short, the cars pendulous, the upper lips moderately I large, the tail pointed and destitute of brush. Dogs of this breed are very active, and capable of long-sustained exertion. The original breed, the Spanish pointer, probably brought to Spain from the e., is of more bulky form, less active habit, and less capa bility of continued exertion. The pointer is very forward and familiar in its manners. but is both affectionate and intelligent, although it has a reputation of inferiority in these respects to many other kinds of dogs.