BREAKING AND HANDLING. 39 



main points; men of brief experiences always differ. Large 

 numbers must have been seen under variable conditions 

 through long periods of time; then the most diligent obser- 

 vation and unprejudiced judgment are necessary to arrive 

 at a just conclusion. If the sportsman is absorbed in look- 

 ing for excellences in his favorite breed, and for faults in 

 others, he will be certain to retain his opinion unaltered, be 

 the work what it may. It is no uncommon occurrence for 

 a sportsman to believe that his dog is the superior worker 

 in a hot competition when it is palpably evident to disinter- 

 ested spectators that he is not above ordinary. Simple as 

 it may seem to learn field work, it requires several years of 

 extensive experience to be able to estimate the relative 

 merits of dogs without prejudice; and many sportsmen 

 never outgrow their favorite fancies, be they right or wrong. 

 Considering the two breeds as a class, the setter is much 

 more dashing, quicker and enduring in his work, and 

 speedier and wider in his range; and on birds his execution 

 is much more rapid. A few individual pointers, at the re- 

 cent field trials, have shown great improvement in this 

 respect, yet the improvement can hardly be claimed for the 

 breed at large. The pointer, however, is more easily trained 

 and retains his training of the first season better; but he 

 has one specially inferior property, namely, if overworked, 

 which may be done in a few days or weeks according to the 

 constitution or condition of the dog, he loses interest in his 

 work, shortens his gait, contracts his range to an area of a 

 few yards, and subsides to mediocrity. If his work is then 

 continued, the evils are serious. It requires weeks and some- 

 times months to rest him sufficiently so that he will work 

 with keenness up to his best form. This vapid state may be 

 produced by starting the dog abruptly into hard work in- 

 stead of conditioning him gradually for it, or by excessive 

 overwork when he is in condition. Except in rare instances, 



