194 THE COMPLETE SHOT 



pretty much blown when she got hold. Then she had to cross 

 a brook to get back, and it is likely enough that a stumble, 

 or perhaps jumping against the bank, led to the pinching of 

 the bird. However, excuses are not admitted in public com- 

 petitions, and indeed none was made. In 1905, Single appeared 

 to be quite tender in the mouth, and although she is admirably 

 broken, and has no excitement or nervousness, but lots of love 

 of the game, she was not as fortunate in her opportunities as 

 had been the case the year before, and got no prize for work 

 although she has lots of merit. Another Labrador at this 

 meeting got a certificate of merit, so that, as only three entries 

 have been made all told at retriever trials, the breed has 

 taken a much better position with spectators than is indicated 

 by its want of success in gaining stake money. 



The private character of the breed for work is very good 

 indeed, although some of them are reported to turn out rather 

 hard in the mouth. But then the same thing can be said for 

 every breed of retrievers. The author remembers Labrador 

 retrievers forty years ago. The pair he first knew were kept 

 as pets by a rural parson who did not shoot. It was commonly 

 reported that either of these dogs would dive to the bottom of 

 a well and fetch up a fourpenny-piece ; but this was hearsay 

 evidence, and was never seen by the present witness. How- 

 ever, these dogs had just the coat of the present Labradors, 

 and distinctly not that of the Newfoundland. The only dog 

 of the sort that the author ever had was death on cats, but 

 this accomplishment did not make him hard-mouthed with 

 game, as it probably would nine retrievers out of ten. 



[Since the above was written, the 1906 retriever trials have 

 passed, but as the winners all failed with runners the author finds 

 nothing to add to his general survey.] 



