The Brittany is a breed of gun dog bred primarily for bird hunting. Although the Brittany is often referred to as a Spaniel, the breed's working characteristics are more akin to those of a pointer or setter. The name "Brittany" is taken from the region of the same name in northwestern France. Images of Brittanys were first seen on tapestries and paintings from the 17th century. These images depicted orange and white dogs hunting and retrieving game. The first written and verifiable record of Brittanys comes from a hunting description written by Reverend Davies in 1850. Davies described hunting with small "bobtailed" dogs who were pointed and were excellent retrievers. It was around the same time that the modern Brittany is rumored to have been bred by mating with English Setters. First shown at the Paris Dog Show in 1900, the Brittany had already been known in Europe for centuries.