174 ON THE WING. 



or a tame pigeon. Bring it in as soon as you can, and 

 while it is warm hide it under some hay or old grass, 

 in the same direction in .which you have always played 

 with the ball. Now take out the dog again, and let 

 him bring in the ball once or twice. Then roll it so 

 as tp leave it as near the dead bird as you can, and 

 you will notice that, when he goes for the ball, he will 

 surely come to a point on the dead bird, if he has a 

 good nose. Should he make a point, let him make a 

 good long stand, and then shoot your gun with a light 

 charge, telling him to bring. Should he retrieve well, 

 and drop the bird to hand and down at the com- 

 mand, you need not fear his proving other than a 

 good hunter. All you may require of him will come 

 by practice. 



I would observe that I trained my best setter with 

 the ball and fresh-killed bird. 



I did not, however, go into the field, as here recom- 

 mended, but broke him entirely with the ball, finishing 

 off with the dead bird, as above described. This sys- 

 tem of training I may say is entirely original with me. 

 I had never seen it practised, or heard of it, before I 

 trained my dog; and speaking from the result, as 

 shown by my own dog, I can state that it has proved 

 entirely successful. 



It was but a short time after I had trained my dog 

 in this way that I had an opportunity to test him. 

 Passing through a field late one afternoon in Decem- 

 ber, when snow was on the ground, I accidentally 

 flushed a covey of quail. I went immediately home, 

 got my gun and dog, and started out after them. 



