FIRST LESSON IN AUTUMN CONTINUED. 583 



apparent to him if you place yourself on his left side. 

 It is in this manner that you give him a lesson which 

 will hereafter greatly aid him in recovering slightly 

 winged birds, in pressing to a rise the slow-winged, 

 but nimble-heeled rail, or in minutely following the 

 devious mazes through which an old cock pheasant, or 

 yet more, an old cock grouse, may endeavor to mislead 

 him. And yet this lesson should not be given before he 

 is tolerably confirmed at his point, lest he should push 

 too fast on the scent ; and make a rush more like the 

 dash of a cocker than the sober, convenient " road " of 

 a setter. As his experience increases he will thus acquire 

 the valuable knowledge of the position of his game he 

 will lead you to the centre of a covey, or what is of 

 greater consequence as grouse spread to the centre 

 of a pack, instead of allowing himself to be attracted to 

 a flank by some truant from the main body, and thus 

 get you a good double shot, and enable you effectually 

 to separate the birds he will, moreover, become watch- 

 ful, and sensible of his distance from game a knowledge 

 all important, and which, be it remarked, he never could 

 gain in turnips, or potatoes, or any thick cover. 



198. There is another and yet stronger reason why 

 you should not consider it a rule always to head your 

 young dog at his point. You may although at first 

 it seems an odd caution to give make him too stanch. 

 This, to be sure, signifies less with partridges than 

 with most birds ; but if you have ever seen your dog 

 some to a fixed point, and there, in spite of all your 



