CH. x.] VEXATIOUS STANCHNESS. 171 



hand will be more apparent to him if you place your- 

 self on his left side. It is in this manner that you give 

 him a lesson which will hereafter greatly aid him in 

 recovering slightly winged birds, in pressing to a rise 

 the slow- winged but nimble-heeled rail, or in minutely 

 following the devious mazes through which an old cock 

 pheasant, or yet more, an old cock grouse, may endeavour 

 to mislead him. And yet this lesson should not be given 

 before he is tolerably confirmed at his point, lest he 

 should push too fast on the scent ; and make a rush 

 more like the dash of a cocker than the sober, con- 

 venient " road " of a setter. As his experience in- 

 creases he will thus acquire the valuable knowledge of 

 the position of his game : he will lead you to the 

 centre of a covey, or what is of greater consequence 

 as grouse spread to the centre of a pack, (instead of 

 allowing himself to be attracted to a flank by some 

 truant from the main body), and thus get you a good 

 double shot, and enable you effectually to separate the 

 birds: he will, moreover, become watchful, and sensible 

 of his distance from game a knowledge all important, 

 and which, be it remarked, he never could gain in tur- 

 nips or potatoes, or any thick cover. 



286. Mr. C s R n, well known in Edinburgh, told me 



that a black and tan pointer of his (Admiral M y's breed) gave, 



on one occasion, a very clever proof of his knowledge of the distance 

 at which he ought to stand from his game. He was ranging in thick 

 stubble. Some partridge, being slightly alarmed, rose a little above 

 the ground, and then dropped very near the dog, upon which the 

 sagacious creature instantly crouched close to the ground, his head 

 between his fore-legs, and in that constrained position ventre-a-terre, 

 pushed himself backwards until he had retreated to what he con- 

 ceived to be a judicious distance from the covey, when he stood up 

 and pointed boldly. 



287. There is another and yet stronger reason why 

 you should not consider it a rule always to head your 

 young dog at his point. You may although at first it 



