176 The Sporting Dog 



Hick, in fact, had few equals even among his own 

 sex. He seldom appeared at his very best in a 

 field trial, because he usually ranged just about 

 far enough to keep a little outside the other dog. 

 It was his head-work which made him specially 

 superior, and it required some knowledge of him 

 to fully appreciate his faculties. He had one 

 habit which I have not seen elsewhere developed 

 to the same degree, but which every field dog 

 could have with benefit. He never bolted and 

 never came in to his handler, but whenever he 

 went down into a ditch or behind a clump of 

 bushes he would turn his head around in a pecul- 

 iar way and take a glance to see whether the 

 handler was coming along; then he would dash 

 on about his hunting business. 



There may be bitches which have this sort of 

 mental faculty, but I can only say that I never 

 saw one. My advice, therefore, is that if one 

 wants a snappy, quick, handy dog, he would prob- 

 ably be better satisfied with a female. It is only 

 justice to say, too, that more dogs than bitches are 

 likely to loaf. But for the very highest class of 

 work, which includes a recognition of conditions 

 and dealing with them to the best advantage, I 

 should say decidedly, Stick to the dog. 



In gathering together morsels of advice for the 

 amateur, I might cite a verdict which I recently 

 saw in a letter from Dr. Rogers of Mississippi, an 



