208 



SHOOTING. 



rally follow. The main object, however, should be to kill the old 

 cock, which will most likely enable you to pick up the young 

 ones, one after another, as in the beginning of the season they 

 lie very close, particularly after hearing the report of a gun, which 

 terrifies them to such a degree, that you may sometimes take 

 them up with your hand from under the dog's nose. When this 

 happens, the ground cannot be beaten too carefully. If the 

 night should have been wet previous to the day of shooting, 

 grouse will not lie. 



Of all shooting, none is so laborious, either for man or dog* 

 as that of grouse ; the sportsman ought, therefore, to be pro- 

 vided with plenty of dogs, in order to rest them alternately ; and 

 one brace, or a brace and a half, of good ones at a time will be 

 sufficient. 



* The most essential point about the dog is a good foot; for, without 

 a good, firm foot, he can never hunt long. I never look at a dog which 

 has a thin, flat, wide, and spread foot ; they are not worth two-pence. 



" It has been a constant custom with me to wash my pointers' feet 

 with strong salt and water after the day's sport. I have found my error, 

 and am convinced that it is a wrong practice. I never altered my method 

 until three years ago. A gamekeeper in Suffolk, seeing that a boy was 

 washing my dogs' feet with strong salt and water, (his name was Cooper) 

 said to me : * Sir, I think you do wrong to wash your dogs' feet in salt 

 and water at this early part of the shooting season, (it was the first week 

 in September) at this time, Sir, when the ground ii uncommonly dry, 

 and as hard as a rock. If you will feel their feet, you will find there is 

 a considerable degree of feverish heat in the dogs' feet, from having 

 hunted all the day on hard and dry ground. A dog, Sir, in such weather, 

 should have his feet suppled and comforted. As long as the ground is 

 dry and hard, I always wash my dog's feet with warm soap and water, 

 and clean them well, particularly between the toes, and balls of the feet; 

 this comforts his feet, allays the heat, and promotes the circulation in 

 the feet. In the more advanced period of the season, when the ground 

 is very wet, then salt and water may be proper.' I approved much of 

 the reasons he gave ; it shewed the sense of his practice, and the folly of 

 mine : since that period I have taken his advico."~ General Hanger, 



