iNOLisn POINTER.] FOR MOUNTAIN, FIELD, AND FARM, [enolish pointer. 



game. Aa if seoiuingly willinj:;, however, to 

 give one chauco more, ho inatle ii dead stop at 

 ft teru bush, with his nose pointed downward, 

 his fore foot bent, and the tail strait^ht and 

 steady. In this position he remained lirm till 

 the sportsujan was close to him, with both 

 barrels cocked ; then, moving steadily forward 

 for a few paces, ho at last stood still near a 

 bunch of heather, the tail expressing tlie 

 anxiety ho felt, by moving regularly backwards 

 and forwards. At last, out sprung a fine old 

 blackcock. Bang, bang, went both barrels — 

 but the bird escaped unhurt. The patience of 

 the dog was now quite exhausted, and, instead 

 of dropping to the charge, he turned boldly 

 round, placed his tail between his legs, gave 

 one howl, long and loud, and set off as fust as 

 be could to his own home." 



These dogs have been known to go out 

 hunting by themselves, and if they found, to 

 return for their master, and, by gestures, in- 

 duce him to take bis gun, and follow them to 

 the spot. This peculiarity, however, is not 

 confined to them. 



As Eeynard kills his own mutton, as the 

 phrase is, and supplies his own larder with 

 rabbits, seldom destroying game, or visiting 

 distant hen-roosts when there is an abundant 

 number of bunnies close at hand, and followins: 

 his own impulses without let or hindrance ; it 

 may possibly be excused if a pack of hounds, 

 carrying out the idiosyncrasy principle, should 

 get up a run to themselves, without either the 

 voice of the huntsman to cheer them onwards, 

 or the thoug of the whips to keep tliem well 

 together. A case of this description took 

 place with the Essex Union hounds. Tired of 

 the inaction of the kennel at Danbury, and 

 anxious for the exercise of their good qualities 

 as a famous pack, they managed to burst from 

 their bounds, and commenced a chase upon their 

 own account. They collected in a compact 

 body, and, under the guidance of the leader of 

 the pack, they drew the cover in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of tbe common ; and, having 

 speedily found a fox, they went off in full cry, 

 and proved that they were adepts at their 

 work. An alarm was given ; and it was not 

 till the huntsman and wliips had had a chase 

 of three-quarters of an hour, that the truant 

 pack were drawn off the scent, and brought 

 safely back to the captivity of the kennel. 

 3 K 



All those animals are very superior in the 

 scent : but, according to tho lines of Tickell, 

 they must yield in this particular to the 

 Talbot, or bloodhound. 



" O'er all till' blooilhound boa.sts superior skill 

 To scent, to view, to turn, and boldly kill ; 

 His fullows' vain alarms n-jecta with scorn. 

 True to the master's voice, and learned horn. 

 Ilis nostrils oft, if ancient fame sing true, 

 Trace the sly felon through the tainted dew; 

 Once snuffd, he follows with unalter'd aim, 

 Nor odours lure him from the chosen game ; 

 Deep-mouth'd he thunders, and influmed he views, 

 Springs on relentless, and to death pursues." 



Before tho beginning of the present century 

 pointers were known in Great Britain, and are 

 now abundantly spread over these islands. 

 They have also been transported to our colo- 

 nial possessions, where it is to be hoped tho 

 breed may be perpetuated, although wo fear 

 that the want of hunting opportunity will 

 cause them to degenerate. AV"e have records 

 of some of the species having exhibited traits 

 of excellence of tho very highest order. " The 

 celebrated pointer dog Dash," says Mr. Blaine, 

 "so admirably portrayed by Gilpin, was the 

 produce of a Spanish pointer and a fox-hound; 

 and the blending of the high scenting powers 

 of the Spanish pointer, and the dash, speed, 

 and courage of the fox-hound, produced one of 

 tho best pointers that ever crossed a field, or 

 ranged a moor, either as regarded speed, en- 

 durance, and such scenting powers as carried 

 him, at once, up to the birds, with little quar- 

 tering of the ground. He was equally good at 

 backing, which he did in a style that gained 

 him great admiration. It is recorded that he 

 was sold by his master. Colonel Thornton, to 

 Sir Richard Symons, for IGO pounds' worth of 

 Champagne and Burgundy, a hogshead of 

 claret, a valuable gun, and a pointer. The bar- 

 gain was also made with a stipulation, that if 

 any accident happened to him, he was to be 

 returned to Colonel Thornton for fifty guineas. 

 It appears that Dash did break his leg, which 

 unfitted him for any purpose but that of 

 breeding from, and likewise that the sporting 

 colonel gladly received \xm\ back again for the 

 stipulated sum." 



It is impossible for any one to estimate the 

 qualities of dogs who has not witnessed their 

 development, correctly, or even sufliciently. 

 Dr. Shaw tells us that the French academi- 



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