DOGS AND PICTURES.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—If your correspondent, " F. W.," has not met with it already, he will be interested in the following well-authenti- cated instance of the power a dog has of recognising a likeness in a picture. The picture referred to hangs in the Lecture Hall of the Mechanics' Institute at Chichester, and to the back of it is attached the following account of the interesting circumstance connected with the painting of it. It represents two setters, portraits, and was painted by Chalon, R.A. :— " This picture belonged formerly to Miss Crowcher, of Fordhook, Middlesex, and Densworth, Sussex. The dogs were her constant companions. Originally one dog's portrait was painted, but the other was added by Chalon for the following reason. When the first dog was finished, Chalon wrote to Miss Crowther to request her to come and see it ; this she did, taking with her the second dog. Upon their arrival they found the picture placed in the garden to dry, and on the dog seeing his companion, as he supposed, he immediately barked at him as he would have done in the field. This action so delighted Chalon, that he entreated Miss Crowcher to allow him to enlarge the picture, and to add the second dog, which was done. The picture was in the exhibition at Somerset House afterwards, and was much admired. It passed into the possession of Mrs. Bernard Winter, Miss Crowcher's younger sister, and afterwards to her daughter. Miss Winter now presents it to the Mechanics' Institute, Chichester, and adds her signature,—Mary Elizabeth Winter, October 11th, 1888."
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