WOODCOCK-SHOOTING. 287 



keeping step with them, until the bird has sprung, seeing 

 to it that they then instantly " drop ! " 



This course has its disadvantages. One certainly loses 

 some shots by it, and has to take others just as they come ; 

 whereas otherwise one may select his own ground, so as 

 always to be sure of a fair shot. But on the other hand, 

 one avoids the great danger of leading his dog, step by 

 step, into error, and teaching him to commit a fault. 



The moment a dog, as it seems to me, comes to expect 

 that he shall flush the bird himself, and to regard flush- 

 ing as the ultimate end, I fear he will speedily become so 

 over-eager in this respect, as to shorten his point, and per- 

 haps at last neglect it altogether, when his master's eye is 

 not on him. 



Every one knows that the best and steadiest dogs, 

 when by chance they get out of range of the gun in large 

 woodlands, and come on the point, where they are not 

 seen, become so impatient after standing awhile, that, 

 when the gun does not come to their relief, they will 

 flush their game, and go on hunting as if nothing had hap- 

 pened. This is one of the drawbacks to hunting pointers 

 and setters in covert, for every time they get out of sight 

 and do this thing, as they must do it, or stand at point 

 half the day until by chance discovered, they are rendered 

 so much more likely to do it again ; and they often come at 

 length to such a degree of cunning, as invariably to flush 

 every bird, running over it without taking the slightest 

 notice, when not in sight of the master ; though, when 

 under his eye, they will point every thing, none more 

 stanchly. 



