oBEAKiyo D009.] FOR MOUNTAIX, FIELD, AND FAUM. 



[Si'ANIKLS. 



The very best of dogs will sometimes put 

 up a bird ; therefore n doi^ must not be con- 

 demned on Ills first trial if he eouunit a fault, 

 but be rather judged by liia general conduct. 

 In grouse-shooting sportsmen like to givo 

 their dosjs the wind as much as possible ; but 

 when birds are wild there is sometimes an 

 advantage in going down wind witli one old 

 steady cunning dog, who will " sink" the wind, 

 and get beyond running birds and head them, 

 in whicli ease even wild old euuning cocks, on 

 liuding themselves between two enemies, will 

 allow the sportsman to get within shot. We 

 are aware that this is not the regular mode of 

 proceeding ; but it is one of the many expe- 

 dients which may be resorted to when birds 

 are wild at the end of the season. 



Setters and pointers may be either broken 

 in the shooting season, or out of it, with, or 

 without the gun ; if without the gun in the 

 pairing season, the breaker must take with him 

 a horse-pistol, which lie can discharge on the 

 rising of birds, in order to accustom the young 

 dog to the sound of the report, and also to 

 make him down charge. The shooting season 

 we think is the best time to complete the 

 education of a dog, provided the sportsman is 

 disposed to take the trouble on himself, and 

 has patience to pay the requisite attention ; a 

 few shots may be lost at starting, but the pro- 

 gress of the dog is rapid, if he is well tired 

 down each day, and plenty of game found and 

 killed to him. At the commencement much 

 work and little game is best for a young dog ; 

 but when he begins to behave well, he requires 

 the encouragement of more game, but without 

 diminution of work. There is little difficulty, 

 ■we apprehend, in breaking a well-bred dog, 

 provided the proper preliminary measures 

 which we have suggested be strictly attended 

 to. "Well-bred pointer, and setter puppies, 

 have frequently been seen to back and stand 

 instinctively ; and most sportsmen who have 

 resided much in the country, we have no 

 doubt, have constantly witnessed young dogs 

 in a farmyard pointing all sorts of poultry. 



Belore concluding these remarks, we must 

 notice one fault occasionally to be found in 

 puppies, which must be counteracted — it is 

 that of carrying their heads low, and endea- 

 vouring to make out scent as a spaniel would 

 do. The remedy for this is an implement 



called a puzzle, made of iron, fastened in such 

 a manner that the dog is obliged to carry his 

 head higii. Tiie above fault is rarelv found in 

 high-bred dogs ; they almost invariably carry 

 their heads well — an advantage which the ex- 

 perienced sportsnum ap[)reciate8 ; Iiis logs are 

 saved, and he procures good sport, where 

 second-rate dogs would have completely failed. 

 Tho other dogs, more especially of tho 

 spaniel kind, are the Cocker, the Springer, 

 the JJlenheim Spaniel, and tlie King Charles' 

 Spaniel. They are all, more or less, adapted 

 for the field. 



TIIE COCKER. 

 This dog is like a small land-spaniel, but 

 with a shorter muzzle, a more rounded head, 

 and longer ears. He is a lively little animal, 

 and is used to spring woodcocks and pheasants 

 in copses and thickets, where larger dogs can- 

 not enter. He is very hardy, and never seems 

 to tire at his work. He may, therefore, bo 

 hunted for days together; but he is difficult 

 to keep under command, and he gives tongue 

 loudly. 



THE SPRTNGER 

 Is only a larger-sized cocker, heavier in make, 

 and neither so active, nor so lively as the 

 other. 



THE BLENHEIM SPANIEL. 

 "Blenheim Palace, near AVoodstock, Ox- 

 fordshire," Bays Mr. Kichardson, " was for- 

 merly the estate of King Ethelred, and since 

 that of Henry II., as also the birthplace of 

 several princes of the royal line of England ; 

 subsequently the prison of Queen Elizabeth, 

 during a portion of Queen Mary's reign ; and 

 afterwards granted by Queen Anne to John 

 Duke of Marlborough, with the present 

 palace, for his great victory over the French 

 and Bavarians, at the village of Blenheim, in 

 Suabia, a.d. 1704. In this superb mansion 

 has been preserved, for the last century and a 

 half, the small red-and-white spaniel, or com- 

 forter, the "Pyrame" of Buffou — the Blen- 

 heim spaniel of the present day. Except for 

 their beauty and attachment, they are of but 

 little use, although some of the breeds bring 

 a long price. From their restlessness, and 

 proneness to give tongue on the least alarm, 



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