96 SECOND DIVISION OF THE 



will not endure the least correction, but become either ferocious or sulky. 

 They should be disposed of as soon as possible. The majority of dogs are 

 exceedingly sagacious. They possess strong reasoning powers ; they un- 

 derstand, by intuition, almost every want and wish of their master, and 

 they deserve the kindest and best usage. 



" The scholar being thus prepared, should be taken into the field, either 

 alone or, what is considerably better, with a well-trained, steady dog. 

 When the old dog makes a point, the master calls out, ' Down !' or * Soho !' 

 and holds up his hand, and approaches steadily to the birds ; and, if the young 

 one runs in or prepares to do so, as probably he will at first, he again 

 raises his hand and calls out, ' Soho !' If the youngster pays no attention 

 to this, the whip must be used, and in a short time he will be steady enough 

 at the first intimation of game. 



" If he springs any birds without taking notice of them, he should be 

 dragged to the spot from which they rose, and, ' Soho !" being cried, one 

 or two sharp strokes with the whip should be inflicted. If he is too eager, 

 he should be warned to ' take heed.' If he rakes or runs with his nose 

 near the ground, he should be admonished to hold up, and, if he still per- 

 sists, the muzzle-peg may be resorted to. Some persons fire over the 

 dog for running at hares: but this is wrong ; for, beside the danger of 

 wounding or even killing the animal, he will for some time afterwards be 

 frightened at the sound, or even at the very sight of a gun. The best plan 

 to accustom dogs to the gun, is occasionally to fire one off when they are 

 being fed. 



"Some persons let their dog fetch the dead birds. This is very wrong. 

 Except the sportsman has a double-barrelled gun, the dog should not be 

 suffered to move until the piece is again charged. The young one, until 

 he is thoroughly broken of it, is too apt to run-in whether the bird is killed 

 or not, and which may create much mischief by disturbing the game. 



" Although excessive punishment should not be administered, yet no fault, 

 however small, should pass without reproof: on the other hand, he should 

 be rewarded, but not too lavishly, for every instance of good conduct. 



" When the dog is grown tolerably steady, and taught to come at the call, 

 he should also learn to range and quarter his ground. Let some clear 

 morning, and some place where the sportsman is likely to meet with game, 

 be selected. Station him where the wind will blow in his face ; wave your 

 hand and cry, ' Heigh on, good dog !' Then let him go off to the right, 

 about seventy or eighty yards. After this, call him in by another wave of 

 the hand, and let him go the same distance to the left. Walk straight for- 

 ward with your eye always upon him ; then, let him continue to cross from 

 right to left, calling him in at the limit of each range. 



" This is at first a somewhat difficult lesson, and requires careful teaching. 

 The same ground is never to be twice passed over. The sportsman watches 

 every motion, and the dog is never trusted out of sight, or allowed to break 

 fence. When this lesson is tolerably learned, and on some good scenting 

 morning early in the season he may take the field, and perhaps find. Pro- 

 bably he will be too eager, and spring his game. Make him down imme- 

 diately, and take him to the place where the birds rose. Chide him with 

 * Steady !' * How dare you !' Use no whip ; but scold him well, and be 

 assured that he will be more cautious. If possible, kill on the next chance. 

 The moment the bird is down, he will probably rush in and seize it. He 

 must be met with the same rebuff, l Down charge !' If he does not obey, he 



