BREAKING AND HANDLING. 205 



thus an easy course which enables him to go with undimin- 

 ished speed directly, or nearly so, to the birds. Sometimes, 

 instead of going directly to the birds, he takes oblique lines 

 to them, his course then being slightly zig zag, but the high 

 nose and quick execution are always characteristic. That 

 the dog can follow the foot scent with a high nose is sus- 

 tained by the analogous manner exhibited by foxhounds when 

 in pursuit of their prey. Every foxhunter has seen the 

 hound run at high speed many yards from the true trail, yet 

 following the course with accuracy by the scent in the air 

 alone. However, it is unquestionably true that a dog which 

 performs well by drawing apparently by the body scent, has 

 very sensitive scenting powers and can detect the presence 

 of birds a long distance by their body scent alone when the 

 wind and temperature are suitable, as may be observed occa- 

 sionally when a bevy is flushed, marked down, and the dog 

 cast off to find them, there being then no trail to follow; but 

 the phenomenal long draws are not then exhibited unless 

 the dog has cunningly marked the birds down by sight, 

 which some intelligent dogs will readily do; and the novice 

 may mistakenly think the dog drew by scent when he really 

 drew by sight; hence it is more reasonable to ascribe the 

 greater number of phenomenal performances to the refine- 

 ment of skillful reading, than to the powers of the mar- 

 velous, even if opposed to the common belief. 



Many dogs have a manner of locating their birds which 

 partakes both of the manner of reading and drawing. They 

 road with a high nose but follow the trail by feeling for the 

 scent, and progress with more or less speed; generally at a 

 trot. When near enough to the birds to catch the body 

 scent, they abandon the foot scent and draw directly to them. 

 A skillful performer of this kind is an excellent dog^to shoot 

 over, and is next in merit to one that skillfully hunts for the 

 body scent alone. 



