172 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



The spaniel race are not difficult to train if special attention 

 is given at the first to keep them from hunting out of bounds. 

 The whip and dog-call will soon force close-hunting into a 

 habit, if the fault of wide-ranging is never overlooked through 

 carelessness or indolence. After a dog learns the lesson that 

 the prey is to fall to his master's gun, and not to be pounced 

 on by himself, unless he is very stupid and worthless, he will 

 be as anxious as the sportsman to gain fair shots, and retrieve 

 the fallen game, whatever may be the nature of the ground. 



I knew three Scotch terriers as good at this work as spaniels. 

 They never sprang game out of shot, had excellent noses, and 

 such soft mouths that they always brought what was wounded 

 alive to their master who held terriers in higher estimation 

 than other covert dogs. There is no doubt, however, that 

 their nature is to hunt wider and slower, to be more eager 

 after footed game, and not to search every tuft and bush with 

 the energy and perseverance of cockers or spaniels. 



It is a good rule to avoid hunting pointers or setters along 

 with small dogs, as they tempt the latter to extend their 

 range. I have also found that large retrievers, though thor- 

 oughly trained not to " break shot," are more likely to make 

 pointers or setters unruly at grouse or partridge than those of 

 smaller size, as they are so much more observable in their 

 efforts to find the dead or wounded. 



Some sportsmen may say that they never allow their re- 

 triever to try for fallen game until their setters or pointers 

 have failed to secure it. It appears to me that such usage 

 might go far to discourage and slacken the mettle of any valu- 

 able retriever. 



During the long course of my shooting experience, only two 

 retrievers have belonged to me which I considered Al. A few 

 words about their tempers and dispositions may be useful to 

 those looking out for such valuable aids to the gun. The first 

 and most perfect of these two dogs was sulky and unsociable. 

 He would acknowledge no master but me, refusing to obey any 



