370 SHOOTING. 



bushes better than the pointer, which is in this re- 

 spect a tender dog ; and for this reason the setter 

 is preferred to the pointer for cover shooting. Be- 

 sides, his being not so staunch as the pointer is an 

 additional advantage in heavy covers. The sports- 

 man who shoots over well-broken pointers, fre- 

 quently passes game in woods, while the pointers, 

 which are not seen by him, are at their point ; the 

 setter, being more impatient to run in, affords the 

 shooter many shots in cover, which the over-staunch 

 pointer would not. The pointer is always to be 

 preferred on open grounds. In hot weather the 

 pointer will endure more fatigue than the setter. 



DOG-BREAKING. 



To ensure good sport, the shooter must be pro- 

 vided with good dogs. However abundant game 

 may be, there can be no real sport without good 

 dogs ; and however scarce game may be, a good 

 day's sport is attainable with good dogs, by a per- 

 son who feels what sport is, and who does not look 

 upon filling the game-bag and loading the keepers 

 with game, as the sole end and aim of the sports- 

 man's occupation. The mere act of killing game 

 no more constitutes sport, than the jingling of 

 rhyme constitutes poetry. Since, then, good dogs 

 contribute to good sport, the shooter should be 

 careful to whom he entrusts the breaking of them. 

 Bad habits, by dogs as well as by bipeds, are sooner 

 acquired than got rid of. If it suit his convenience, 

 the shooter should frequently accompany the break- 

 ers when practising his dogs : he should direct them 



