iv RIVERSIDE LETTERS 27 



months old, but with great character and 

 clever qualities. He takes me out for walks 

 in the afternoon (as all good dogs should 

 their masters), and his great delight, when we 

 reach the open arable land which surrounds 

 this town, is to start off at full speed, in the 

 mad endeavour to catch a lark. He runs 

 with his nose to earth, like a fox-hound, and 

 as the birds spring up right in front of him, 

 I have no doubt he hunts by scent. He 

 takes no notice of other birds, such as rooks, 

 starlings, or sparrows, which most puppies 

 chase. I am inclined to think that larks are 

 rather game birds, and leave a strong scent. 

 He lays his nose to earth and starts off 

 running when no birds are visible, but as he 

 runs the larks keep rising before him, right 

 in front of his nose. I have read somewhere, 

 I think, that larks are more numerous in 

 Great Britain than any other birds, and I am 

 disposed to believe it. Of course there is 

 an enormous quantity of sparrows, but the 

 sparrow confines himself chiefly to the 



