280 DIFFERENT NOTES. [CH. xvr. 



using whistles of dissimilar calls, easily avoid the 

 liability of these evils ; and by invariably employing a 

 particular whistle for each dog to summon him separately 

 to his food (30), each would distinguish his own whistle 

 as surely as every dog knows his own master's whistle, 

 and as hounds learn their names. Dogs not only know 

 their own names, but instantly know by the pronuncia- 

 tion when it is uttered by a stranger. To prevent 

 mistakes, each dog's name might be marked on his own 

 whistle. You might have two whistles, of very different 

 sound, on one short stock. Indeed, one whistle would 

 be sufficient for two dogs, if you invariably sounded the 

 same two or three sharp short notes for one dog, and as 

 invariably gave a sustained note for the other. Nay, 

 the calls could thus be so diversified, that one whistle 

 might be used for even more than two dogs. 



506. Whoever has heard the boatswain of a man-of-war piping 

 all hands on deck, must think his whistle,- from the variety of its 

 tones, almost a musical instrument ; but it could not well be 

 employed for dogs, as they would not understand it when sounded 

 by any one but their master. 



507. Eailways have led to the introduction of new whistles. 

 Porteous, the band-master at Chelsea College (whose Light Infantry 

 Field Pipe is well-known to military men), has exercised his in- 

 genious talents in making several, but they are too shrill to be of 

 much service to the sportsman. The acorn (or bell pattern) has, 

 however, a much softer tone, yet it, too, makes an awful noise. 



But whatever whistle you choose to employ, be sure, 

 both in and out of the field, to sound it softly whenever 

 the dog is near you. Indeed, you would act judiciously 

 to make it a constant rule, wherever he may be, never to 

 whittle louder than is really requisite, otherwise (as I 

 think I before remarked) he will, comparatively speak- 

 ing, pay little attention to its summons, when, being at 

 a distance, he hears it but faintly. 



508. I wrote to Mr. Porteons, explaining how much a whistle 

 was wanted that might be used by the most unmusical person, yet 



