126 A Book of the Snipe, 



something more than this is necessary to 

 warrant a downright recommendation in their 

 favour. Of course the pleasure of shooting of 

 any sort is vastly enhanced by their assistance ; 

 but that is another matter altogether when the 

 net results to the bag are being considered. 

 My own practice is very simple, and at the 

 risk of incurring the same charge of laying 

 down the law I have deprecated in others, I 

 must confess that it appears to be the most 

 logical one. It is to be accompanied by a 

 setter in all weathers, but never to let him 

 range except over wide, open, dryish ground. 

 If I know that my beat for the day contains 

 no such ground, I leave him at home. If 

 the day's walk is over country strange to me 

 I take him, and accept the chance of being 

 able to make use of him, or having to keep 

 him rigorously at heel. If the dog is of fair 

 age, as he should be, and no novice to the 

 gun, as he certainly must not be, he will not 

 be half so miserable at his small share in the 

 day's fun as might be imagined : it is as well, 

 moreover, to stretch a point now and then 



