THE SPRINGER. 709 



greyhound alone pursues his game in silence, which could 

 not be otherwise, as every nerve is strained, to outstrip his 

 prey. And here we find in the springer and cocker, which 

 are required for driving game, that shelter in thick coverts 

 and brushwood, from their retreats, where a sportsman cannot 

 penetrate, barking, whenever they find either of those for 

 which they are trained, and thus affording a premonitory 

 warning, to look out. 



From the time the springer is thrown off in the field, he 

 gives evident proofs of the pleasure he experiences in being 

 thus employed, by the perpetual motion of his tail, which is 

 termed feathering, amongst sportsmen ; and upon the increas- 

 ing vibration of which, the experienced fowler well knows 

 he is getting nearer to the object of his attraction. The 

 more closely he approaches the game, the more energetic the 

 dog becomes in his endeavour to succeed ; tremulous whis- 

 pers escape him as a symptom of doubt ; but the moment 

 this doubt is dispelled, and the game is found, his clamorous 

 raptures break forth in full force. He expresses his gratifi- 

 cation by loud and quick barking, which may be relied on 

 as a proof that he has not sought in vain, leaving the hap[)y 

 owner exultingly to boast, that " he is in possession of at 

 least one faithful domestic who never tells a lie.^' 



The following anecdote, related by Mr. Blain, is one proof 

 among many, showing that dogs are endowed with some won- 

 derful instinctive knowledge, by which they can traverse 

 witli unerring certainty a country with which they are unac- 

 quainted, in pursuit of their master or former home. He 

 says, — " I took a spaniel, bred in London, forty-eight miles, 

 in the close rumble-tumble of a chaise into Essex, where she 

 remained with me some months. During the journey she 

 was only once taken out of this close confinement for a few 

 minutes in an inn yard. She proved useless as a sporting 



