812 MANUAL OF MODEPwN FARRIERY. 



It is easily known when a dog scents a landrail, from his 

 keen search, and the obstinacy with which he persists in 

 keeping the ground, insomuch that it may be sometimes 

 caught by the hand : it often stops short and squats ; the dog 

 pushing eagerly forward, overshoots the spot, and loses the 

 trace, and the landrail, it is said, profits by his blunder, and 

 retraces its path ; nor does it spring until driven by the last 

 extremity ; then it flies heavily, and generally with its legs 

 hanging down, but never far at a flight, when, as it lights, it 

 runs ofi" with great rapidity, and before the sportsman has 

 reached the place the bird is at a considerable distance ; or 

 is sprung a second time with great difficulty. The fleetness 

 of its feet compensates for the tardiness of its wings : all its 

 excursions, windings, and doublings in the fields and mea- 

 dows, are performed by running. When upon wing, if it flies 

 to a hedge, the sportsman is recommended to look upon the 

 boughs, as it is almost sure to perch and sit till he almost 

 touches it, and frequently by that means eludes all pursuit. 



I remember upon one occasion, while walking in the fields 

 in Ireland, accompanied by a setter, but without a gun, my 

 dog flushed a landrail, and, knowing the habits of the bird, I 

 ran to the spot where it alighted ; and my dog took up the 

 scent and followed the bird with great eagerness. It took 

 shelter in a drain and squatted ; but on the dog again ap- 

 proaching, it flew up, the dog striking it down with its paw, 

 and, without attempting to mouth it, kept it down until I 

 came up and secured the bird. I then clipped one of its 

 wings, and it proved an excellent subject for training a 

 litter of young pointers which a friend of mine had at the 

 time. It was highly interesting to see the accuracy with 

 which the young dogs followed its track. 



The landrail is plentiful in Britain, but abounds in Ireland, 

 where it is probable they spend the winter. They are very 



