206 FRANK SCHLEY'S PARTRIDGE AND PHEASANT SHOOTING. 



locate it with certainty. The manner in which a dog car- 

 ries his nose may seem to the uninitiated a matter of mere 

 fancy; but indeed it is far otherwise, since what avails it 

 that the nose be naturally good, provided it is so carried 

 that us power cannot be brought into play? In this con- 

 nection experience has taught us two things, viz.: First, 

 that as the scent naturally rises, and is the strongest in the 

 air, a high-headed dog can wind a bird much farther than 

 the low-headed one that follows by foot trail. Second, that 

 where birds are wild, the dog that carries his nose up, 

 drawing the scent directly from the body of the bird, can 

 approach much nearer to the game than the dog that 

 roads it up. So marked have been the proofs of this, that 

 ; Mow nose, no nose" has become with many sportsmen an 

 accepted rule, to which the few exceptions furnish cor- 

 roborative testimony. From these facts it becomes evident 

 that to take a high rank for nose r style of carriage is justly 

 regarded as a very important point; and I am satisfied 

 that all sportsmen who like myself have followed the dogs 

 on bad scenting days over rough mountain ridges after the 

 lordly Buffed Grouse, and who have seen some cautious 

 high-headed Setter get point after point before his lower- 

 headed companion, will join me in upholding a rule which 

 forms the best standard for the selection of animals wor- 

 thy of the breaker's time and trouble. 



STAUNCHNESS. 



After the ability to find game, comes that staunchness 

 and retention of point which allows the sportsman to 

 reap the reward of his arduous labors. How aptly come 

 now to mind the words I have already quoted, "then 

 shall your Setter stick " yes, stand firm as a rooted pine, 

 fixed and immovable. The beauty of such a point with 

 all its attractive details of attitude, rigid, yet thrilling 

 and quivering with latent life; its expression eloquent 

 with mingled excitement, caution and pleasure, us thejbot 

 scent is eagerly drunk up by the broad expanded nos- 



