108 THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 



stood, the luxury of a hearth-rug and 

 a good fire, by no means tends to render 

 them effeminate, or less hardy in the 

 field. 



I had a setter of the softer sex with me 

 in Brittany 5 which I constantly indulged 

 in this manner, and she was petted and 

 fondled by the whole of our establishment ; 

 yet a more perfect animal for every de- 

 scription of sporting never entered a field 

 or beat a swamp. For snipe and wild- 

 fowl-shooting she never was surpassed, 

 if equalled ; and, in the depth of winter, 

 when the water has been studded with 

 ice, she would take to it as kindly as in 

 the dog-days. I became possessed of her 

 when she was quite a puppy, and in the 

 following extraordinary manner : — 



It came to pass, that, being at Abbe- 

 ville, in 1829, 1 was induced to shoot my 

 way to Amiens, via the marshes on the 

 banks of the Somme. On my return, and 



