TITK USK OF DOGS. 285 



CHAPTER X. 



THE USE OF DOGS. 



Two Irish Setters, Nellie and Ben— Sensibility of Dogs to Praise 

 and Blame— Their Appreciation of Just and Kind Treatment — 

 On Training: them — Instance of the Exercise of Mind in a 

 Setter — Good Breakers difficult to find — Amusing Error of an 

 Am.erican Author in reference to the Duke of Gordon's Grey- 

 hounds—The Proper Use of Setters and Pointers — Intelligence 

 of my Setters, Quail and Chance— Folly and Cruelty in the 

 Use of the "Dog Whip." 



In writing of tlio capal^ilities of clogs, I cannot do 

 better, by way of continuous illustration, tlian 

 refer to tlie action and capacities of tlie two 

 setters over whom I had been in the habit of 

 shooting — the red Irish setters, Nellie and Ben. 

 They were most kindly given to me, as puppies, 

 by Major Spring, when my kennel had loeen deso- 

 lated by a fatal phase of distemper, such as I liad 

 never before known. Nothing could arrest its 

 course, and three perfect setters, the descendants of 

 my famous old Chance, fell victims to the virulence 



