176 MODERN TRAINING. 



will be adduced in support of the dog's intelligent applica- 

 tion of his efforts conjointly with the efforts of the hunter. 

 When a dog, in reading an old cock prairie chicken, a bird 

 which is a fast and cunning runner, suddenly abandons the 

 trail, and taking a circular course whips in ahead of it to 

 stop its running, then holds and points it until the shooter 

 flushes it, such act is palpably applied to assist the gun. 

 An act of a similar nature is when a dog, roading a running 

 bevy down wind, perceives that he cannot pursue with any 

 certainty of securing a point, backs out a safe distance on 

 the back trail, takes a circular cast and comes up wind on 

 the birds, thus stopping their running and pointing safely. 

 An act of still greater intelligence is when the dog points 

 birds at a distance from his handler, and, being concealed 

 from him, abandons his point, returns to his handler and by 

 every sign which he is capable of making, conveys the in- 

 formation that he has found birds. If the handler under- 

 stands his dog, the latter leads him directly to them. This 

 accomplishment is not generally observed, first because 

 very few dogs are permitted to exercise their best intelli- 

 gence; second, because very few sportsmen would compre- 

 hend the dog's actions if he did attempt it; and lastly, only 

 dogs of great experience and intelligence acquire such a 

 finished comprehension of details. 



A common act, which shows reference to the gun, is 

 when pointing running birds, a dog will turn his head 

 slightly to see if his handler is approaching, and he so 

 directs his acts with consummate skill that they are wholly in 

 the interest of the gun. Many other acts could be enumer- 

 ated showing that the dog applies his hunting instincts to 

 the service of his master in a higher degree than the mere 

 mechanical; but sufficient is mentioned to show that, with 

 experience, he does so. 



There are individuals in which the pointing instinct is 



