202 MANUAL FOE YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 



tematic a pursuit of the sport, with consequent expenditure 

 of time and attention, as few or no American sportsmen 

 are willing or able to bestow on what is, to most men, but 

 an occasional and rare pastime. 



For the most part, then, we must rest content with our 

 setters or pointers, and must satisfy ourselves with over- 

 coming to the best of our abilities the difficulties which 

 we must encounter. 



Nevertheless, I would strongly recommend it to such 

 sportsmen as have the means, the leisure, and the oppor- 

 tunity, to procure a brace of good and well broke cocking 

 spaniels, at least for summer cock-shooting. It is not 

 only the true method, but it is far more exhilarating and 

 exciting, it is less fatiguing, and, as it gives the sportsman 

 far more opportunity of choosing his own position for 

 shooting in the paths, runways and glades, instead of being 

 forced to blunder into thickets in order to drive up his 

 game, it is by far the most killing mode. 



The spaniel naturally gives tongue on his scent the 

 moment he strikes it, hunts it up with the rapidity of 

 light, and springs his bird or starts his hare with a rush. 



By education he is made to hunt mute, or at most to 

 express his delight at finding the hot scent streaming up to 

 his nostrils by a suppressed whimper, to track the game 

 foot by foot, pausing to note the vicinity and whereabout 

 of the shooter, and to give tongue only when it is flushed. 



This steadiness and closeness of range and of dropping 

 to charge the instant the shot is fired, and lying hard 

 until ordered to " hie on ! " is all that is required of the 

 spaniel ; but that all is not a little ; for the spirit in the 



