658 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



familiar to them, and respected. If a young dog 

 makes a mistake in the flock or poultry-yard, the whip 

 will cure him ; but if an old one takes to such practices, 

 to the gallows with him ! he is never to be trusted.^ 

 Every sportsman, we presume, will understand the 

 advantage of giving a young dog the wind, against 

 which he should take his range, making regular tacks, 

 like a vessel beating up to windward. If he stretches 

 too far to the one hand, a whistle, a wave, and 

 inclination of the body in another direction should 

 bring him about. In this manner continue to work 

 him till you see him on the haunt of game ; then 

 caution him by have a care — take heed ! as he is fixing 

 to his point, and fix him with a stern, authoritative 

 down ! Keep him to his point, and if the birds lie, 

 make a circuit round them, keeping your eye strictly 

 upon the dog, checking every attempt to move with 

 the uplifted hand and down ! When you see him 

 reconciled to lie close, give the word, hold up ! to your 

 birds. If he is diffident, pat and encourage him with 

 kind words ; if too forward, check him. When the 

 birds spring, should he pursue them, ware chase! 

 must be thundered in his ears, which may perhaps 

 stop him ; if not, have patience, keep your station, 

 and he will return after his rioting is over. Beware 

 of severity now, lest you check him ; but lead him 

 again to the haunt of the birds, and there lecture him 

 — take heed, sii^ ! down ! At this stage of the business 

 a check-cord, a few yards in length, may be of advan- 



* The following specimen of the '' tender mercies " of a 

 reverend sportsman may amuse, if not instruct. — "To break a 

 sheep-biting dog, take some wool off a sheep's rump, steep it in 

 train oil, put it in the dog's jaws, and sew iip his mouth. For 

 killing poultry, boil a chicken in its feathers, take it hot from 

 the boiler, squeeze the water from it, and put it into his jaw?, ^nd 

 He them together^ — Daniel, iii. p. 337. 



