I02 SPORT IN EUROPE 



holidays are arranged in such a way that you may be present at 



the first and best part of the season ; and the gamekeepers make 



investigations as to the number of the coveys and their coverts, 



and exercise and train the dogs for the great opening day. Soon 



after sunrise on September the i6th the whole 



The Opening country resounds with the firing of hundreds of guns 

 Day. ^ 



belonging to very different classes of sportsmen — from 



the peasant who owns a few coveys, to the noblest and richest 



sportsmen in the land. 



The partridges are fortunately shot exclusively over dogs. Should 

 driving ever be employed, the sport will lose much of its attraction. 

 Many amusing and difficult shots would no doubt be recorded, but 

 this would not compensate for the interest and amusement in seeing 

 the working of the dogs. To see a pure-bred, well-shaped dog tackle 

 its problem in a clever, intelligent, and individual manner is, I believe, 

 half the pleasure of a good day's partridge shooting to most Danish 

 sportsmen. Both setters and pointers are used, especially the latter, 

 heavy as well as light. 



Of late years a good many pointers have been imported from 



Germany and England, which have gready improved the breed 



of our sporting dogs. Great demands are made in 



por ing Denmark on a sportino- doQ^. In the summer it is used 

 Dogs. . 



for duck and snipe shooting, and it must consequently 



be willing to go in the water ; then comes partridge shooting and, 



later on, the pheasant season. Finally, we have the woodcocks as 



well, and many dogs are besides taken to Sweden and Norway for 



the blackcock and ptarmigan shooting. A good dog must not run 



