INASMORE AS TO RETRIEVERS. l8l 



distance gradually up to a mile from home, 

 then send the dog back to fetch it when you 

 get home. This can also be practiced by 

 making your dog retrieve pheasants, wood 

 pigeons, and the like, but wood pigeons are the 

 worst kind of birds for the business, as their 

 feathers come out very easily and choke up 

 the puppy's mouth. 



One day I remember, my master brought me 

 a new retriever and said : " Look here, 

 Wilkins, this is a good dog, I bought him off 

 Cotterel, of Takeley Forest, when I was shoot- 

 ing with Mr. John Archer Houblin, but the 

 brute runs after everything ; now I will give 

 you -2 to stop her running in after her game." 

 Cotterell had hunted her as a rabbit dog, and 

 she was one of the very best dogs for that work I 

 ever saw, she would catch more rabbits in one 

 day than some bad shots could kill, and she was 

 the best bitch I ever saw, being good all round. 

 Well, I got my 2 for " Duchess " or " Goose," 

 as the Squire afterwards called her,but she got 

 very fat and lazy, and so was sent to Darlington, 

 where, I heard, she was held in high esteem. 



