INTRODUCTION. xi 



that to the true sportsman ? he does not shoot 

 with the case, neither will the finish of the gun 

 make him hold it the straighter. Put a good 

 weapon in his hand, and that is all he wants or 

 requires. 



The same may be said of your dogs ; there is 

 no necessity to give enormous prices for them 

 good ones, good looking ones, and good bred 

 ones, are to be had at reasonable figures. 



I would never advise an ugly, bad bred, or 

 badly broken dog to be purchased ; they are 

 not only a nuisance to yourself, but to those 

 who shoot with you, and fatal to sport ; but 

 how often do you see this ? Good dogs are to 

 be had ; the cost of rearing, breaking, &c., &c., 

 I shall mention in another place. 



It is not my intention in this little volume 

 to go into all the details connected with the 

 dog and gun ; that has often been done before 

 by far abler pens than mine. But something 

 may be picked up by the young in this volume 

 in the various tales I shall bring before you, 

 and here and there I may* diverge and give a 

 few instructions as to vermin-catching traps, 

 and how to use them. 



