Dogs. 133 



enter a youngster or drag an aged animal 

 into the hardships which the work entails. 

 He may, as I have said, disappoint you at 

 first ; but unless he so far forgets himself as 

 actually to chase birds, take no notice, take 

 no notice, and go on taking no notice. It is 

 as reasonable to expect an Irish hunter, un- 

 rivalled at the walls and banks of his native 

 isle, to fly the mighty ox-fences of Leicester- 

 shire at his first attempt, as that a dog 

 accustomed to methodical quarterings on 

 grouse-moor or turnips should immediately 

 take to the more haphazard methods which 

 are necessary on ground where each quarter 

 of a mile is usually of a diametrically opposite 

 character to the last. Dogs will learn a lot 

 from silence ; from vociferous blasphemy they 

 will acquire nothing but distrust of themselves 

 and you. As for the whip, you may as well 

 shoot a setter as thrash him, for all the use 

 he will be to you afterwards. A pointer is 

 less timorous, but more apt to sulk after 

 castigation. 



Of special breeds I can say but little. A 



