FOR THE FIELD AND FIELD TRIALS. 6 1 



good matter-of-fact, and did not hesitate to repeat 

 them as being true. 



By the simple process of dint of repetition, it has 

 come to be a general belief that the pointing instinct 

 originated as told in the net-and-dog story, or as im- 

 plied by it, for it does not assert it. In fact, it ad- 

 mits the existence of the instinct, as shown by the 

 remark "and the propensity of the dog to pause be- 

 fore making his dash at game was cultivated and 

 cherished, by breeding and selection, until, at last, 

 gratified by observing the action of the net, he yield- 

 ed his natural impulse of springing at all," etc. That 

 is precisely the case to-day, if we substitute the gun 

 for the net and interpret the loosely written descrip- 

 tion according to the facts. 



The dog of to-day has naturally the pause before 

 making his dash to capture. He only forbears spring- 

 ing as a consequence of much training. After he has 

 observed the success of the gun on the one hand, and 

 after being firmly denied the pleasure of springing 

 on the other hand, we come to the ancient and 

 modern belief wherein he is "at last, gratified by ob- 

 serving the action of the net," etc. The ancient 

 writers were, moreover, handicapped by the over- 



