IDEAS ON DOG-BREAKING. 263 



persons recommend an artifice to make him hold his 

 head up, which is in my opinion all nonsense, be- 

 cause the fault lies in the animal being defective in 

 scenting powers. But even if such should not be the 

 case, and they are capable of finding as much game 

 as the dog who ranges with his head up, you will not 

 have the same sport, for although game may lie well 

 to the latter, they certainly will not to the former. 

 The birds possibly argue thus, " that harum-scarum 

 fellow with head up, slashing along after some impor- 

 tant business to the other side of the field, is too pre- 

 occupied to mind us ; as long as we lie close, there is 

 nothing to be feared." But, on the other hand, the 

 inquiry (if birds talk to one another) will be made by 

 some sagacious old paterfamilias, " What's that pot- 

 tering dog doing down there ? " All eyes are im- 

 mediately directed to the disagreeable intruder in 

 question, and very soon it becomes a decided point 

 among the feathered family that their footsteps are 

 being followed, and that with felonious intentions, 

 and in preference to waiting for further information 

 they wing their way to safer retreats. It is not 

 because birds and quadrupeds don't talk that 

 they don't think, particularly wild ones, when it is 

 on a point regarding safety. When young dogs are 



