FIRST LESSON IN AUTUMN CONCLUDED. 601 



225. Never correct or even rate a dog, in the mere 

 belief that he is in error ; be first convinced of his guilt. 

 If you have good reason to suspect that unseen by you 

 he has wilfully sprung birds, still rather give him an 

 earnest caution than any severer rebuke. It is not easy 

 to repair the mischief occasioned by unjust punishment. 

 When from his sheepish look, or any other cause, you 

 imagine that he has raised game, either through heed- 

 lessness or from their being unusually wild, be sure to give 

 him a short lecture, and accompany him to the haunt. 

 A lingering bird may occasionally reward you. If his 

 manner has led you to form an incorrect opinion, your 

 warning can have no other effect than to increase his 

 caution rarely an undesirable result ; and if you are 

 right the admonition is obviously most judicious. 



226. Let me caution you against the too common 

 error of punishing a dog by pulling his ears. It has 

 often occasioned bad canker. Some men are of opinion 

 that it is frequently the cause of premature deafness. 

 When you rate him you may lay hold of an ear and 

 shake it, but not with violence. 



227. I would strongly recommend you always to make 

 your young dog " drop " for half-a-minute or so, when he. 

 sees a hare ; or when he hears a bird rise.* To effect 

 this, stand still yourself. After a few seconds you can 

 either hie him on, or, which is yet better, get close to 



* Of course, with the proviso that he is not pointing at another 

 bird 187, 



26 



