562 DOG-BREAKING. 



dog a particular side when hunting three, according to 

 the mode described in last paragraph. It should, how- 

 ever, be borne in mind, that constantly him ting 'a dog in 

 this manner on one and the same flank, tends to make 

 him range very disagreeably whenever employed single- 

 handed. 



165. If you hunt five dogs, four of them ought to work 

 by braces to the right and left, and the fifth the dog 

 whose rate of speed most varies from the others should 

 have a narrow beat assigned him directly in advance of 

 you. 



166. If three brace are to be used, let the third brace 

 hunt the central ground, as recommended for the fifth 

 dog or they could be worked in leashes, one on the 

 right of the gun, the other on the left. 



167. These are the correct theoretical rules, and the 

 more closely you observe them, the more truly and kili- 

 ingly will your ground be hunted. 



168. Probably you will think that such niceties are 

 utterly impracticable. They must be impracticable if 

 you look for mathematical precision ; but if you hope to 

 shoot over more than mere rabble, you should work upon 

 system. If you do not, what can you expect but an 

 unorganized mob? an undrilled set, perpetually running 

 over each other's ground, now grouped in this part, 

 now crowded in that, a few likely spots being hunted 

 by all (especially if they are old dogs), the rest of th 

 field by none of them ; and to control whose unprofita 

 Me wanderings, why not employ a regular huntsman and 



