OH. in.] WATER SPANIELS. 51 



limits. He should hunt slowly and carefully to the 

 right and left, and never be much in advance of the 

 guns. In a short time he will comprehend matters, if 

 you are so forbearing and judicious as invariably to call 

 him away from every point made the least out of bounds. 

 A less severe test of your consistency will not suffice. 

 The few first days will either make or mar him as a 

 cover-dog. You must naturally expect that hunting 

 him much in cover, will injure his range in the open, 

 and make him too fond of hedge-rows. 



88. But there is a man in Yorkshire, who will not willingly admit 



this. C e, Sir George A e's gamekeeper, and a good one 



he is, for he has a particularly difficult country to protect, one 

 intersected with "rights of way" in every direction, makes his 

 pointers as freely hunt the cover as the open. You never lose them, 

 for they are sure to make their appearance when they think they 

 have given you ample time to go to them if you choose. This cover 

 work does not the least unsteady them, but it is right to state, that 



C is an unusually good breaker, and works his dogs with 



singular temper and patience. They are very attached to him, and 

 appear to listen anxiously to what he says when he talks to them, 

 which, I own, he does more than I recommend. 



89. Pointers, however, are manifestly out of place in strong cover, 

 though an unusually high-couraged one may occasionally be found, 

 who will dash forward in defiance of pricks and scratches ; but it is 

 not fair to expect it. Jn a very light cover I have often shot over 

 one belonging to a relation of mine, which was so clever, that when 

 I came close to her as she was pointing, she would frequently run 

 round to the other side of the thicket, and then rush in to drive the 

 game towards me. This killing plan had in no way been taught 

 her ; she adopted it solely of her own sagacity. Having been much 

 hunted in cover when young, she was so fond of it (69) as to be, 

 comparatively speaking, quite unserviceable on the stubbles. 



WATER SPANIELS, (on WATER RETRIEVERS.) 



90. A young water spaniel might, with advantage, 

 occasionally be indulged with a duck-hunt in warm 

 weather. It would tend to make him quick in the 

 water, and observant. The finishing lessons might 



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