CH. XVL] SETTER TO RETRIEVE. 293 



training, by obtaining shots on days when good sports- 

 men, with fair average dogs, would hardly pull a trigger. 

 And why should you not ? Success would be next to 

 certain, if you could as readily place your dog exactly 

 where you wish, as shepherds do their collies (143). 

 And whose fault will it be if you cannot ? Clearly not 

 your dog's, for he is as capable of receiving instruction 

 as the shepherd's. 



535. Manifestly it would be worth while to take 

 great pains to teach this accomplishment, for in all 

 countries it would prove a most killing one when birds 

 become wild ; and, as Tolfrey shows (529), it would be 

 found particularly useful wherever the red-legged part- 

 ridge abounds,* which birds you will find do not lie 

 badly when the coveys are, by any means, well headed 

 and completely broken. But there are other accom- 

 plishments nearly as useful as those already detailed ; 

 the description of them, however, we will reserve for a 

 separate Chapter. 



* Unless they are very young Mr. L d, A r's keeper (of 



they are little prized at table ; and H n Hall), told me he had on 



they afford such bad sport to the several occasions seen the young 

 gun that, notwithstanding their red-legged Frenchmen persever- 

 beauty, great pains are now taken ingly attack and eventually kill 

 in Norfolk and Suffolk to exter- a whole covey of the less active 

 minate the breed. Their nests English squeakers. The late Mar- 

 are sought for to be destroyed ; quis of Hertford has the credit (?) 

 and when the snow is on the of having been the first to turn 

 ground, the old birds are killed in out a few of the strangers. This 

 great numbers. It is observed was nearly fifty years ago at Sud- 

 that in proportion as they increase, bourn Hall, his seat in Suffolk, 

 so do the common partridge de- whence they have spread over that 

 crease. The stronger bird, accord- county and Norfolk, and are fast 

 ing to the general law of nature, invading the northern parts of 

 drives off the weaker congener. Essex. 



