THE SPORTSMAN'^ VADE MECUM. 23 



best way they can. It is my intention for the future to draft 

 my setters to New York and my pointers westward. My 

 cockers, I fear, will not go off yet, my imported dog having 

 taken it into his head to die, and, until he is replaced from 

 England I have no stock for breed. I could only get a 

 chance of four while last there out of many valuable kennels. 

 However, I have promises of drafts from two or three par- 

 ties, and ere summer cock come in, doubtless a brace or so 

 will dare the perils of the sea for me ; I have no hesitation 

 in saying that, unless most amply remunerated, I would as 

 soon sell my nose as the best pup in the litter, if I wanted 



it, nor would I advise any one else to do it. If done, you 



% 

 have to put up with inferior dogs. No ; I breed to put a 



brace or so of the best young dogs yearly into my kennel, 

 for my own use, and, while doing this, I also have, probaVy, 

 ten good, well formed dogs to pick from, any one of whicl 

 were one in want, would gladden the heart to get hold of. 

 Sir William Stanley used to breed some fifty pointers yearly. 

 Out of this lot, two brace were culled for his use. The rest 

 were sold. They paid expenses. Many were excellent dogs, 

 but he got the tip-top ones, and so he ought. This is the 

 way a man who cannot afford to give great prices for good 

 dogs must do, if he is much addicted to shooting. It requires 

 two brace of dogs to do a day's shooting as it ought to be 

 done. Each dog at full gallop the whole time, except, of 

 course, when on birds ; and to do this he must be shut off 

 work about noon. Few dogs can go from morn till nighi 

 without extreme fatigue. I never yet saw the dog that I 

 could not hunt off his legs in a fortnight's hunt, taking him 



