40 TRUE NOSES. COVEE SHOOTING. [CH. m. 



high breaking more curious than useful, for spaniels are 

 essentially springers, not pointers, and the little animal 

 must frequently have been lost siglrUof in cover. The 



Messrs. W e, alluded to in 551, had also a cocker 



that regularly pointed. Our grandfathers used to apply 

 the term springers solely to large spaniels, never to the 

 Duke of Marlborough's small breed, which was greatly 

 prized. 



69. A dog is generally most attached to that descrip- 

 tion of sport, and soonest recognises the scent of that 

 game, to which he has principally been accustomed in 

 youth. He will through life hunt most diligently where 

 he first had the delight of often finding. The utility 

 therefore is obvious of introducing spaniels at an early 

 age to close covers and hedge-rows, and setters and 

 pointers to heather and stubble. 



70. In spaniels, feathered sterns and long ears are 

 much admired, but obviously the latter must suffer in 

 thick underwood. The chief requisite in all kinds of 

 spaniels, is, that they be good finders, and have noses so 

 true that they will never overrun a scent. Should they 

 do so when footing an old cock pheasant, the chances 

 are, that he will double back on the exact line by which 

 he came. They should be high-mettled, as regardless 

 of the severest weather as of the most punishing cover, 

 and ever ready to spring into the closest thicket the 

 moment a pointed finger gives the command. 



71. A comprehension of the signal made by the 

 finger, (which is far neater than the raising of the hand 

 described in 34, but not so quickly understood) might 

 with advantage be imparted to all dogs trained for the 

 gun, in order to make them hunt close exactly where 

 directed. It is usually taught by pointing with the fore- 

 finger of the right hand to pieces of biscuit, previously 



