66 LEWISES AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



is sometimes wrongly called ambition. Ambition is often mere love 

 of action, the delight of an athlete in the use of his powers, but 

 love of hunting is an instinctive pleasure in the pursuit of game. 

 It is nearly allied to intelligence, since there must be recognition of 

 game itself, and also recognition of ability to find it by certain 

 action. It is not ambition, but it gives rise to ambition, since the 

 dog that loves to hunt will be prompted to work hard, and to 

 bear the fatigue consequent upon such work uncomplainingly. 

 Herein lies the benefit of this love to a breeder. Without it a dog 

 will work till he begins to tire, and then, having no special incentive, 

 will give up, but with it he is constantly prompted by his pleasure 

 to renewed exertion. It is also a great help to the breaker, being 

 in fact the only thing which induces the dog to hunt with a pur- 

 pose. A breaker can drill any dog mechanically, but if he does not 

 love to hunt no amount of breaking will make him do it. There 

 is no doubt but this love increases with experience of the pleasure 

 it gives. Thus some dogs who do not show it at first will develop 

 it later ; such individuals are, however, at best doubtful, and with- 

 out a pronounced instinctive love of hunting displayed by the dog 

 on his first entry to game, there is little satisfaction or hope to repay 

 the breaker's trouble. 



By character we mean intelligence and courage. These are fre- 

 quently classed with the field qualities, but as they are also as com- 

 monly called into play by every-day life out of the field, we think 

 they deserve a place by themselves. Upon intelligence depends the 

 dog's capacity for receiving instruction, not only in what pertains 

 to field work, but also upon those points which render him generally 

 useful to his master. In the field it directs and regulates the appli- 

 cation of his powers and experience to the discovery and outwitting 

 of his game, thus enabling the sportsman to obtain shots he would 

 not get with a less intelligent assistant. Intelligence varies in dogs 

 as widely as in human beings, but in the former it is under control, 

 so far at least that it may be specially bred for by selection and 

 mating of individuals, which will be likely to give this quality to 

 their progeny through their mutual possession of it. 



