132 ANIMALS USED BY THE SHOOTER. 



best modes of beating ground, but so much depends upon the 

 individual dogs, and upon the pedestrian powers of their 

 masters, that very few directions can be given. The pace of 

 the shooter should never be so great as to hurry his dogs, 

 and yet he should not be so slow as to be long in reaching 

 them when pointing. Here, as in most similar cases, a happy 

 medium, which can only be learnt by experience, is the proper 

 rule, but this is more easily understood than described. But 

 supposing the nature of the range settled, and the dogs 

 started off and kept at such parallels as shall be suited to the 

 ground or to the fancy of the shooter, he must also exercise 

 his temper in checking his dogs when they attempt to break 

 through any of the rules previously made. When one points 

 the other must be made steady behind him, and this with as 

 little noise as possible, merely by holding up the hand. 

 Walking quietly but quickly up to the standing dog, the 

 game is put up, and, it is to be hoped, shot; and now comes 

 the moment when the fitness of the shooter for breaking is 

 tried to the utmost. If he is a pot hunter, he will either 

 rush in and pick up his game, or he will disregard the dogs 

 altogether and suffer them to move towards it or to leave 

 their ground. Any of these acts is fatal to their progress and 

 to his sport j the dogs should both be made to drop, if they 

 have not done so, and should remain down till the gun is 

 reloaded, when they may be (one or both) allowed to mouth 

 the bird, or to aid in retrieving it if it is not killed, but only 

 wounded. I do not myself like that pointers or setters 

 should be used for this purpose, but others think differently, 

 and shooters will of course please themselves. When this is 

 done the game is disposed of, the beating begins again, and 

 the whole act is repeated as often as the shooter can effect it. 

 But there are many minutice and delicacies of the art 

 which demand practice in their proper fulfilment, as, for in- 

 stance, in the drawing upon running game, or in sending the 

 dog round to head them when so occupied. All this must be 

 seen and practised to be carried out pr6perly; and no direc- 

 tions for special cases can be of any avail. The principle 

 only can be instilled, and this I have endeavoured to do in 

 the directions already given, leaving the details to be filled 

 up at discretion. 



