178 Tbe Sporting Dog 



rely upon his own knowledge of the bird's habits. 

 Shooting certain game over cockers may do in 

 England where the game is preserved in known 

 places, and where it may be "gathered" almost 

 as a boy gathers chestnuts from trees which he 

 spotted in the summer woods and has been watch- 

 ing ever since. In America somebody or some- 

 thing must find game. Ground must be covered. 



So with woodcock and snipe. There are times 

 and places when a spaniel or a very slow pointer 

 would keep the air vibrant with good shooting, 

 but the vigilant shot under such joyous circum- 

 stances would kick up his own shooting. On 

 most of the woodcock and snipe days when the 

 birds are scarce enough to call for the services of 

 a dog, what a man needs is one which will keep 

 moving, well out at times, has a long-range nose 

 and both decision and caution in signifying the 

 presence of birds. Only a pointer or setter can 

 so perform, and the setter is likely to be the 

 better on account of water and thick cover. 



On prairie chicken I like a pointer. While 

 the nights may be cool, the days are hot in the 

 prairie country during the chicken season. A 

 setter stands heat as well as a pointer, but he does 

 not manage it as well. Setter men would assign 

 the cause to the pointer's not being a plucky dog 

 under discomfort; pointer men would put it on 

 the ground that their breed has more sense. 



