THE PHKASANT. 1 1'3 



not the case with a good setter ; but care should be 

 taken never to let them range out of gun-shot. The 

 small springing spaniel is frequently used in pheasant 

 shooting, and may answer tolerably well in the be- 

 ginning of the season, or where the birds have not 

 been much disturbed; but they are by no means 

 equal to the setter. The springer is too noisy for 

 this diversion ; whereas a pheasant, when found by 

 a setter, will frequently, instead of going off, rise 

 into a tree and challenge,* which rarely happens with 

 the former. 



In hedge- rows, pheasants lie remarkably well ; and 

 in this case a pointer or setter will of course make a 

 very steady point, and you must perhaps shake the 

 bush before the bird will rise; but it is different in 

 covers, where these birds frequently run a consider- 

 able distance, and it becomes necessary to encourage 

 your dog to push the pheasant ; though one a little 

 used to this sport will need no encouragement. A 

 springer may perhaps push a pheasant quicker than 

 a setter; but unless the former is trained to a degree 

 of perfection not very common, he will be attended 

 with ten times the trouble of the latter, and the 

 birds will be more liable to rise out of gun-shot. 



Springers are used by many persons for this diver- 

 sion ; but are certainly much less so at present than 

 they were some years back. Sportsmen, like others, 

 have their whims, and I have seen springers used for 

 partridge-shooting. 



* Make a chuckling noise. 



