FIRST LESSON IN AUTUMN CONCLUDED. 591 



second time while it was running than to have incurred 

 the risk of making your dog unsteady by a wild pursuit. 

 Suppose that it was not winged, but rose again on your 

 approaching it, and fluttered off, a hard trial for the 

 young dog, you must, however, have made him bear it, 

 and obey your loud command to " drop," you would 

 or should have taken another shot, and have proceeded 

 in exactly the same manner as if this had been your first 

 find 179, 180. 



212. As the wounded bird was to windward of the dog, 

 the course to follow was obvious, it was plain sailing ; 

 but the case would have varied greatly if the dog had 

 been to windward. Had you pursued the usual plan, he 

 must have roaded the bird by the " foot ; " and the 

 danger is, that in allowing him to do so, you may create 

 in him the evil habit of hunting with his nose close to 

 the ground, which is, above all things, to be deprecated. 

 You have another mode you can " lift " the dog I 

 suppose you know the meaning of that hunting term, 

 and make him take a large circuit, and sojiead the bird, 

 and then proceed as if it had fallen to windward. 



213. The latter plan would avoid all risk of your 

 making him a potterer, and it is, I think, to be recommend- 

 ed, if you find him naturally inclined to hunt low. But 

 the former method, as a lesson in " footing," must be 

 often resorted to, that he may learn unhesitatingly to 

 distinguish the " heel " from the " toe," and how to push 

 an old cock-grouse, or to flush a pheasant running 

 through cover, or the red-legged, I w^as nearly saying, 



