THE PARTKIDGE. 113 



forth to seize the fallen game, when he has once been taught to 

 do it. 



These remarks of course refer to Pointers and Setters that 

 are otherwise well broken ; if, however, a Retriever be so very 

 desirable or necessary, it would be an easy task to break one 

 of either of these Dogs for this purpose alone, and keeping him 

 always at one's heels, save when told to go out in quest of the 

 dead or wounded game, there would of course be but little 

 trouble in restraining him ; whereas in the other case, the Dogs 

 are generally considerably in advance of the Shooter, and can- 

 not therefore be so well controlled or brought to heel before 

 being ordered to bring the Bird. Any kind of a Dog almost 

 of the Spaniel or even Terrier breed can be taught this duty, 

 and no doubt would prove very serviceable in recovering many 

 Birds in the course of a day's hunt, that would otherwise have 

 been lost. 



There are few Retrievers, even the best of them, but that 

 will at times mouth or bite their game, and some can never be 

 taught to handle Birds tenderly. The best plan to make a 

 young Dog gentle with game, is to practise him on a stuffed 

 Partridge having wires running through the body, and the 

 sharp points extending a trifle from beneath the feathers, so 

 that when he attempts to bite or mouth the Bird, the wires 

 will prick his jaws pretty severely. This is a most effectual 

 method, if persevered in for a little while, and will even do 

 much towards correcting the vice in an old Dog. If this prac- 

 tice is tried in the stubble-field, it is better that the Bird be 

 rubbed on the breast or back with a piece of cheese or fresh 

 meat, so as to give it an odor or artificial scent ; otherwise the 

 Dog can't find it very easily; or what is still better by far, rub 

 the stuffed Bird with a genuine Partridge, which will impart to 

 its feathers a temporary effluvium, that the Dog will at once re- 

 cognize, and therefore not hesitate to seize for the purpose of 

 fetching. 



A Dog that will industriously and perseveriugly hunt up 

 wounded or dead Birds when so ordered, we consider abso- 

 lutely a sine qua. non in shooting. In truth, a Dog that won't 

 assist his master in this important service, we would almost 

 consider worthless for Partridge-shooting in some particular 

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