CH. iv.] THE "DOWN CHARGE." 69 



sented. The flexibility of the wire will enable you to 

 adjust it with ease to the shape of his head. When in 

 the kennel he ought to be occasionally thus 

 bitted, that he may not fret when he is first 

 hunted with it. It will not injure his teeth 

 or much annoy him, if it lies on his grinders 

 a little behind the tushes. 



118. Sometimes a retriever, notwithstanding every 

 encouragement, will not pursue a winged bird with 

 sufficient rapidity. In this case associate him for a few 

 days with a quicker dog, whose example will to a cer- 

 tainty animate him and increase his pace. It is true 

 that when he is striving to hit off a scent he cannot 

 work too patiently and perseveringly ; but, on the other 

 hand, the moment he is satisfied he is on it, he cannot 

 follow too rapidly. A winged bird when closely pressed, 

 seems, through nervousness, to emit an increasing stream 

 of scent ; therefore, though it may sound paradoxical, 

 the retriever's accelerated pace then makes him (his 

 nose being close to the ground) the less likely to overrun 

 it ; and the faster he pursues the less ground must he 

 disturb, for the shorter will be the chase. 



119. Retrievers are generally taught to rush in, the 

 instant a bird falls. This plan, like most other things, 

 has its advocates and its opponents. I confess to being 

 one of the latter, for I cannot believe that in the long 

 run it is the best way to fill the bag. I think it certain 

 that more game is lost by birds being flushed while the 

 guns are unloaded,* than could be lost from the scent 

 cooling during the short period the dog remains at the 

 " down charge." Unquestionably some retrievers have 



* This reasoning obviously does the day," where the sportsmen 

 ot apply to the retrievers em- do not condescend to charge their 

 ployed in those battues where own guns, but are constantly sup- 

 rapid slaughter is " the order of plied with relays of loaded arms. 



