MAXIMS. 677 



which are down. Seeh dead is an easy process if they are 

 dead ; but, if birds are winged and run, your dog will require 

 great indulgence and encouragement in footing them out, till 

 experience teaches him to distinguish the fail of a wounded 

 bird from that of one which is not. If he make it out, 

 caress him with seeh dead ! good dog ! &c., laying the bird 

 before his nose and feet ; but never permitting him to mouth 

 or pull the feathers off it. The perfecting a dog in this 

 branch of education, which enables him to road out the scat- 

 tered birds of a covey through all their doublings, adds more 

 to the pleasure of a really scientific votary of the trigger 

 than perhaps any other, and, therefore, should he patiently and 

 particulaj^ll attended to. When we have got two or more 

 so far in their course, we may proceed to hunt them in com- 

 pany, and learn them to back, which will not be difficult, if 

 they are decidedly subject to the tahe heed — doivn ! Some 

 are in the practice of making their dogs back up the dog 

 which has the point : we prefer having them to drop and 

 lie till he makes out his birds, which he is entitled to do, 

 and ought to show the same respect in turn. Dogs are not 

 exempt from jealousy, and often break through the rules 

 when a rival is at hand. When in company they should 

 hunt in an independent manner, crossing and quartering 

 their ground in opposite courses, and not following at the 

 tail of one another. W^hen a dog is found to be slowish in 

 this respect, he should be hunted with a strange one, or 

 alone ; he may thus be made to act for himself. 



If in following up this system, we have brought them to 

 have a gallant range, quarter their ground properly, point, 

 back, lie-charge, and foot out their birds correctly, we are in 

 the high road to perfection ; this, however, is not to be at- 

 tained in a few weeks, or months, but is the reward of 

 continued care and perseverance. But whatever rules may 

 be laid down, much must be left to the common sense and 



