476 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



quent, and, therefore, know how to work out every inch 

 of ground to the best advantage. 



For cover shooting the spaniel is a superior assist- 

 ant. His shorter leg and smaller size enable him to 

 pass readily through or under cover which would offer 

 a real obstacle to setter and pointer, even if it did 

 not deter them from attempting it. As he works within 

 gunshot he meets an essential of close cover shoot- 

 ing. Flushing the birds under such conditions is a 

 distinct advantage. Thus, then, the springer may be 

 considered as a better worker than the pointing dog 

 for rough and cover shooting exclusively. 



It is obvious that a setter or pointer, when standing 

 stanchly in dense cover, out of sight of the shooter, is, 

 as an assistant, inferior to the spaniel, which flushes 

 the birds at once. To overcome this disadvantage, 

 some shooters tie a small bell to the collar of the 

 pointer or setter, and when its tinkle ceases, the dog 

 being hidden from view, the inference is that he then 

 is pointing. 



To overcome the disadvantage of pointing stanchly 

 in dense cover, some trainers school their setters or 

 pointers to flush to order, but such a practice tends to 

 disorganize the dog's training as a pointing dog, as 

 he is likely to become unsteady and unreliable in this 

 most valuable particular. 



As showing the great popularity of the spaniel in 

 England, the following is taken from "British Dogs," 

 written by the late Mr. Hugh Dalziel, and published 

 about twenty years ago: "The spaniel is not only 



