160 BIRD KILLED, DOG TO "HEEL." [CH. ix. 



continue using it immediately after loading, or, as I 

 have recommended (xi. of 141), after a time omit it, and 

 merely let the signal to " heel " intimate that you have 

 killed, always make your dog go to you before you 

 allow him to seek for the fallen bird. 



270. Some may say, "As a dog generally sees a bird 

 fall, what is the use of calling him to you before you let 

 him seek ? and even if he does not see the bird, why 

 should any time be lost ? "Why should not you and he 

 go as direct to it as you can ? " 



271. Provided you have no wish that the "finder" 

 (see 541), rather than any of his companions, should be 

 allowed the privilege of "seeking dead/' I must admit 

 that in the cultivated lands of England, when a dog 

 " sees a bird fall," he might in nine cases out of ten go 

 direct to it without inconvenience. Even here, how- 

 ever, there are occasions when intervening obstacles 

 may prevent your observing what the dog is about ; and 

 in cover, so far from being able to give him any assis- 

 tance by signaling, you may be ignorant whether or not 

 he has seen the bird knocked over, or is even aware of 

 the general direction in which he ought to seek. But 

 in the oft-occurring cases in which " he does not see the 

 bird fall/' it is obvious (particularly when he happens 

 to be at the extremity of his beat), that you will far 

 more quickly place him where you wish, if you make 

 him, at first, run up to you, and then advance from you, 

 straight to the bird, by your forward signal (277). These 

 good results at least will follow, if you remain stationary, 

 and make him join you. You do not lose sight of the 

 spot where you marked that the bird or birds fell. The 

 foil is not interfered with by your walking over the 

 ground (a matter of much importance, especially on 

 bad-scenting days). The dog, if habituated to " seek " 



