DOGS FOR THE GUN. 175 



on hill or dale. His habit should be hunting for birds by 

 wind, but when a hare or rabbit on its form comes in the way, 

 his exquisitely keen nose should be able to perceive the scent 

 at once, and he should point them as steadily as birds. He 

 will never poke his nose on the ground for fur, even if a bag- 

 ful of footed game fall to his master's gun, and his own finding. 

 Instead of his pace being either very fast or very slow, it will 

 not change from a determined canter, which neither time nor 

 hard labour can subdue. He will instantly see and obey the 

 slightest signal of hand or voice, and when hunting with a 

 comrade, he will not feel jealousy. If single-handed he will 

 be ready to do his own work, besides that of another. Lastly, 

 his constitution must be perfect, his feet sound, and after the 

 hardest day's work he ought to be able to eat his supper with 

 eager appetite. Such a character is a truthful description of 

 the three paragons to which I have referred. 



My numerous valuable second-class dogs would by many 

 have been placed in the first rank. Not a few failed from 

 temper. Some were excellent on heather, but never showed 

 the same zest for turnip, potato, or stubble fields. Others, 

 though capital for lowland work, were apt to slacken their 

 mettle on the hills ; and steady as they were at grouse, never 

 showed the same aptitude for finding them as for scenting 

 pheasants or partridges. 



Many good sportsmen, I know, object to hunt Highland 

 and Lowland game with the same dogs, and in most instances 

 it may be best to keep to this plan. Indeed my own experi- 

 ence seems to confirm it, when owning, after so many years, 

 that only three dogs equally good at all kinds of game have 

 fallen to my lot, and that many a valuable dog may not reach 

 the first rank by deteriorating when his ground and game are 

 changed. 



For instance, a grouse dog taken to ground where rabbits 

 are plentiful, after a few are rolled over to his point, may be- 

 gin to track fur by lowering his crest and getting careless of 



