THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 119 



against the use of setters for cover-shoot- 

 ing, as they adhere to the maxim that 

 their masters cannot have too many- 

 dogs ; but I can assure my readers that 

 too many dogs, as vi^ell as too many ser- 

 vants, are useless animals ; and that where 

 a sufficient number only are kept, whe- 

 ther of bipeds or quadrupeds, for the 

 work required, that work will be better 

 and more effectively done than where a 

 superfluity are supported, to make a show 

 and keep up appearances, to gratify the 

 vanity of the parvenu^ or the nouveau 

 riche. 



A really good sportsman will never 

 require more than a brace of good setters, 

 and double that number of pointers. For 

 cock-shooting, of course, the spaniel is 

 indispensable. 



Our continental neighbours are fully 

 aware of the superiority of English tho- 

 rough-bred dogs, and it is impossible to 

 offer a more acceptable gift to a French 



