FIRST LESSON IN AUTUMN CONTINUED. 567 



endangered their rising out of shot to the exact spot 

 at which you judge he ought to have pointed at first, 

 and awaited your instructions. 



176. Think for one moment what could be the use of 

 chiding or beating, as I have seen some ***** <J O 

 the poor animal at the spot where he flushed the birds. 

 You are not displeased with him (or ought not to be) 

 because the birds took wing, for if they had remained 

 stationary until he was within a yard of them, his fault 

 would have been the same : nor are you angry with him 

 because he did not catch them which interpretation he 

 might, as naturally as any other, put upon your rating 

 him at the spot where he flushed them you are dis- 

 pleased with him for not having pointed at them steadily 

 the moment he became sensible of their presence. This 

 is what you wish him to understand, and this you can 

 only teach him by dragging him, as has been so often 

 said, to the spot at which he ought to have " toho-ed " 

 them. Your object is to give the young dog, by instruc- 

 tion, the caution that most old dogs have acquired by 

 experience. Doubtless experience would in time con- 

 vince him of the necessity of this caution ; but you wish 

 to save time, to anticipate that experience ; and by a 

 judicious education impart to him knowledge which it 

 would take him years to acquire otherwise. What a 

 dog gains by experience is not what you teach him, but 

 what he teaches himself. 



177. Many carelessly-taught dogs will, on first recog- 

 nising a scent, make a momentary point, and then slowly 



