CH. in.] HUNTED IN GOKSE. 37 



coercive principle, but discarding the aid of the tail, 

 some breakers slightly confine a hind-leg of their most 

 unruly spaniels with a soft bandage, shifting it from one 

 leg to the other about every hour. Possibly a loop of 

 vulcanized india-rubber, being elastic, would best answer 

 the purpose. Restrained in this manner a dog is less 

 likely to tumble about, and become injured, than if one 

 of his fore-legs had been passed through his collar. 

 Other breakers when hunting many couples together, 

 fasten a belt with a few pounds of shot round the necks 

 of the wildest. But the sooner such adjuncts to disci- 

 pline can be safely discarded the better ; for " brushing " 

 a close cover is severe work. Gorse is the most trying. 

 Its prickles are so numerous and fine, that the ears and 

 eyes of every spaniel hunted in it ought to be separately 

 examined on returning home, and well bathed in warm 

 water. Their eyes are peculiarly liable to be injured, by 

 iust and gravel from their hunting so close to the ground. 



61. To give young spaniels sufficient courage to face 

 the most entangled cover, a judicious trainer will occa- 

 sionally introduce them to thick brakes, or gorse, early 

 in the morning, or in the evening, when the noise of his 

 approach will have made the pheasants feeding in the 

 neighbourhood, run far into it for shelter. The effluvia 

 of the birds will then so excite the young dogs, especially 

 if cheered with good companionship, (which always 

 creates emulation,) that they will utterly disregard the 

 pricks and scratches of the strongest furze. 



62. If the time of year will permit it, they should be 

 shown game when about nine or ten months old. At a 

 more advanced age they would be less amenable to con- 

 trol. Happily the example of a riotous pup will not be 

 so detrimental to the discipline of the rest of the team, 

 as the example of an ill-conducted companion would be 



