106 lewis' AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



crafty marksman, and jovial companions. The uncleared state 

 of our country, and a comfortable scarcity of game in the Mid- 

 dle States, render it necessary to have two Dogs — at all events, 

 it is much better to have them, and, from our experience, we 

 are led to recommend one to be a Pointer, and the other a Set- 

 ter. The weather in the early part of the season is often very 

 warm and dry ; and the Setter, if overworked, will most assur- 

 edly give out, if not lavishly supplied with water — which, by 

 the by, it is often impossible to obtain in some districts of coun- 

 try—while the Pointer, on the other hand, will suffer very little 

 or no inconvenience either from the heat or thirst. The Setter, 

 however, is peculiarly serviceable at this period of the season, 

 being well protected by his long shaggy hair; he does not for 

 a moment hesitate to penetrate the closest coverts, to which the 

 Birds are so apt to take when disturbed. It is quite impossible 

 for the smooth-haired, wiry Pointer to insinuate himself into 

 these brakes or fastnesses ; and if, in his eagerness to keep up 

 with his companion, he is forced into such places, he always 

 retires from them with his body and tail dreadfully lacerated 

 by the thorns and briers that now flourish so thick and rank. 



Having provided ourselves with Dogs and all necessary am- 

 munition, we will now imagine that we have arrived, at a late 

 hour in the afternoon, at the tavern or farm-house from which 

 we purpose to sally the next morning in pursuit of game. The 

 first thing to be attended to by every sensible Sportsman is the 

 welfare of his Dogs, as the most of his enjoyment depends upon 

 their exertions, and therefore no trouble on his part should be 

 spared to keep them in proper condition. The Dogs being well 

 fed and comfortably housed, the Sportsman may then think of 

 his own comfort. We never trust any one to feed our Dogs, 

 no matter how fatigued we may be, but make it a positive rule, 

 from which there is no appeal, to attend to this duty ourselves, 

 and most generally superintend the cooking of their suppers, 

 as well as sharing it out to them when done; for where can we 

 find an ignorant country servant or farm-hand willing to bestow 

 the necessary attention upon the preparation and serving up of 

 food for an over-fatigued and perhaps delicate Pointer? Besides 

 all this, there is another reason equally important, why the 

 Sportsman should feed his Dogs himself — it attaches the ani- 



