CH. xvm.] "SELF-HUNTING." 311 



temporary departure from rule to effect any permanent 

 mischief ; but, oh ! beware of any such laxity with a 

 young pupil, however strongly you may be tempted. In 

 five minutes you may wholly undo the labour of a 

 month. On days, therefore, when you are anxious, 

 codte qui cotite, to fill the game-bag, pray leave him at 

 home. Let him acquire any bad habit when you are 

 thus pressed for birds, and you will have more difficulty 

 in eradicating it than you would have in teaching him 

 almost any accomplishment. This reason made me all 

 along keep steadily in view the supposition, that you 

 had commenced with a dog unvitiated by evil associates, 

 either biped or quadruped ; for assuredly you would find 

 it far easier to give a thoroughly good education to 

 such a pupil, than to complete the tuition (particularly 

 in his range) of one usually considered broken, and who 

 must, in the natural order of things, have acquired some 

 habits more or less opposed to your own system. If, as 

 a puppy, he had been allowed to self-hunt and chase, 

 your labour would be herculean. And inevitably this 

 would have been your task, had you ever allowed him 

 to associate with any dog who "self-hunted." The 

 oldest friend in your kennel might be led astray by 

 forming an intimacy with the veriest cur, if a "self- 

 hunter." There is a fascination in the vice above all, 

 in killing young hares and rabbits, that the steadiest 

 dog cannot resist when he has been persuaded to join in 

 the sport by some vagabond of a poacher possessing a 

 tolerable nose, rendered keenly discerning by experience. 

 565. I hope that by this time we too well understand 

 each other for you now to wonder why I think that you 

 should not commence hunting your young dog where 

 game is a.bundant. Professional breakers prefer such 

 ground, because, from getting plenty of points, it enables 



