CHAPTER XL 



FIRST LESSON IN SEPTEMBER CONCLUDED. BAR. LEG STRAP. 

 SPIKE COLLAR. 



299. Bar cure for too high spirits. A leg strapped up. Why these remedies are 

 better than starvation and excessive work. 300. The regular Spike Collar 

 described. French Spike Collar. 301. One less objectionable. 302 to 305. 

 How, in extreme cases, the Spike collar might be employed. 306. Dog spring- 

 ing Birds without noticing them ; how to be treated. 307. The first Birds fired 

 at to be killed outright; the Search for winged Birds, Dog being to leeward. 

 308. Had the Dog seized. Firing at running Bird. 309. The Search for winged 

 Bird, Dog being to windward. 310. "Lifting" a Dog, when recommended. 

 "Footing" a scent. In Note, speed of Red-legged Partridge. 311. Evil of a 

 Young Sportsman always thinking his birds killed outright ; often calls away 

 Dog improperly. 312. Loss of dead bird discouraging to Dog. 313. Perse- 

 verance in Seeking, how fostered. 314. "Nosing" Bird allowed. 315. Its 



advantage instanced in Sir W m F n's dogs. 316. Error of picking up 



winged bird before Loading. In Notes, ingenious Argument in its favour ; Bird 

 picked up in the Evening; rejoins Covey. 317. If winged bird be a fast ranner, 

 and out of shot. 318. Dog that was devoted to "seeking dead," would retrieve 

 Snipe she would not point; probable cause of her fondness for retrieving. 

 319. Dog which kept his paw on winged bird ; how taught. " Beppo" in Africa. 

 320. Blenheim, which hated Water, yet would always retrieve Wild Fowl. 

 321. If dog rashes forward yet yields to menaces and stops. 322. If he seizes the 

 dead bird; if he has torn it. 323. How to administer Punishment. 324. Part 

 good friends. Your own temper not to be ruffled. 325. He is no Breaker who 

 cannot always get hold of Dog. 32t>. Be certain^of Dog's guilt before punishing. 

 327. Dog's Ears not to be pulled violently. 328. To "drop" whenever Bird 

 or Hare rises. 329. Lesson in Turnips. 330. Real Lesson in "Gone" or 

 "Flown" given after dog has had some experience ; reason why. 



299. AFTER a few trials you will, I hope, be able to 

 dispense with the peg recommended in 281, and soon 

 after with the checkcord also. But if your dog possesses 

 unusually high spirits, or if he travels over the ground 

 at a pace which obviously precludes his making a proper 

 use of his nose, it may be advisable to fasten to his 

 collar a bar, something like a diminutive splinter-bar, 

 that it may, by occasional knocking against his shins, 

 feelingly admonish him to lessen his stride. If he gets 



