8o SPORT IN EUROPE 



What, however, is almost certain to strike the experienced visitor 

 is not so much the shooting of the first rank of shots (though these 

 are pretty numerous), but the far more striking excellence of the 

 average. Perhaps national character has something to do with 

 this, and the Belgian, lacking on the one hand the extreme phlegm 

 of the Dutch, and on the other the restlessness of the French, may 

 be particularly endowed with the happy equilibrium of character 

 and temperament that go to make the successful shot. 



In few countries is more attention paid to the breeding of dogs 

 of pure blood. Amateurs of pointers, setters, spaniels, retrievers, 



cockers, and many other breeds have established a 



Dosfs s,n(l 



-,.,,_., number of clubs, all affiliated to the Royal Society of 



Field Trials. ^ ^ 



St. Hubert, founded for the improvement of breeds of 

 dogs. During 1899 this Society organised no fewer than four 

 shows, and gave prizes for field trials to the amount of 17,000 francs. 

 The Royal Society of St. Hubert is under the high patronage of 



H.R. H. Prince Albert of Belgium, and numbers, either 



1 he Koyal ^j^ ^^ committee or among the members, a large 



Society of 



St. Hubert. number of the leaders in the sporting world. Mention 



may be made of Baron W. del Marmol, Count de 



Beauffort, S.A.S. Prince Albert de Soams, S. E. Shirley, Esq. 



(President of the Kennel Club), Count J. de Hemptinne, L. De 



IMatthys, F. E. de Middeler, V. Du Pre, A. Morren, Count de 



Robiano, and many others. 



The opening and closing days of the shooting 

 Close Times. 



season are fixed annually by ministerial edict. The 



opening is generally looked for about the 20th August. Shooting 



