144 BEAT OF THREE DOGS. [en. vm. 



the facility with which a range can be taught : " It is wonderful 

 how easily dogs which are always shot over by the same man he 

 being one who knows his business will learn to cross and re-quarter 

 their ground, turning to the slightest whistle, and following the least 

 gesture of the hand. I have seen old dogs turn their heads to catch 

 their master's eye, if they thought the whistle too long deferred ; 

 and I lately lost an old Irish setter, which had been stone deaf for 

 his last two seasons, but which I found no more difficulty in turning 

 than any other dog, so accurately did he know when to look for the 

 signal." 



242. To beat your ground systematically with three 

 dogs you should strive to make them cross and re-cross 

 you, each on a different parallel, as just described for 

 two dogs ; but each dog must make a proportionately 

 bolder sweep (turn) ; or, 



243. If you have plenty of space, you can make one 

 dog take a distinct beat to the right, another a separate 

 beat to the left, and direct the third (which ought to be 

 the dog least confirmed in his range) to traverse the 

 central part, and so be the only one that shall cross 

 and recross you. If one of your dogs is a slow pot- 

 terer, and you prefer this method to the one named in 

 242, give him the middle beat, and let his faster com- 

 panions take the flanks. In our small English fields 

 you have not space enough, but on our moors, and in 

 many parts of the Continent, it cannot be want of room 

 that will prevent your accomplishing it. To do this 

 well, however, and not interfere with each other's 

 ground, how magnificently must your dogs be broken ! 

 In directing their movements, the assistance that would 

 be given you by each dog's acknowledging his own 

 particular whistle, and no other (505), is very apparent. 



244. It is difficult enough to make three dogs traverse 

 across you on tolerably distinct parallels, and at a jn- 

 dicious distance between the parallels ; you will find it 

 hopeless to attempt it with more than three ; and one 

 can hardly imagine a caste in which it would be advan- 



