FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 53 



CHAPTER III. 



NATURAL QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS. 



THE natural instincts of the dog and his manner 

 of seeking prey are by the sportsman termed natural 

 qualities. The term is used more in connection with 

 field trial competition, to distinguish between what 

 is natural and what is educational. 



Like other members of the carnivorous family, to 

 which he belongs, the dog is a meat eater. In secur- 

 ing a food supply, he naturally takes to the pursuit 

 of other animals which are his prey. His teeth are 

 large, strong and sharp, are set in correspondingly 

 heavy, muscular jaws, and his digestive organs also 

 denote that he belongs to the carnivora. He pos- 

 sesses extraordinary fleetness of foot, bodily activity, 

 courage, great powers of endurance, keen and dis- 

 criminating functional powers of nose and a high 

 degree of intelligence in his sphere of .life, all of 

 which are essential to his existence in a wild state, 

 and in domestication are highly prized by man. 



