678 MA.XUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY. 



discernment of the trainer, as a passionate or stupid man can 

 never make a first-rate dog. 



Spring is the best time for training dogs, as the birds are 

 then paired, and lie better, and are not so easily flushed as 

 after the breeding-season. Besides being less numerous at 

 that season, the game are not so likely to excite the dog. 

 But a dog cannot be expected to be rendered quite stanch 

 until a few birds have been killed before him. After this, 

 and about the beginning of July, the young dogs ought to 

 be taken for a few weeks to the moors, to be hunted with 

 steady dogs, and blank shots fired over them, so as to pre- 

 pare them for their work when the season commences. Even 

 old dogs are the better for this occasionally. 



It is of great importance to choose a proper day for train- 

 ing — such a one as the scent lies well with. The air should 

 be at its mean gravity, rather moist, but inclining to grow 

 drier, with a mild and gentle breeze. The moderate gravity 

 buoys up the scent, and enables the dog more readily to find 

 his game without lowering his head, or inclining to rake. 



A good property in a dog, is to hunt with his nose high, 

 as in this way he will find more birds than when he rakes, 

 that is, runs with his nose close to the ground, and follows 

 the bird by tracking. Whenever this vice is observed, he 

 should be called to in an angry tone of voice to hold up ! 

 or up-head! This may often flurry him, but after a little 

 practice he will soon learn to take the wind of his own ac- 

 cord, and hunt high. If a dog obstinately persists in raking 

 there is little hopes of his ever turning out a good ranger, 

 and he should be thrown aside. If anything will break 

 him of this very bad fault, it will be the puzzle. This in- 

 strument is made of a piece of hard-wood or fir, one foot in 

 length, and an inch and a half in breadth, tapering a little 

 at one end ; at the broader end there are two holes running 



