MAXIMS 659 



tage to prevent him from bolting in or escaping under 

 punishment. When you have got him steady to his 

 point, you may proceed to down charge ! to which we 

 have supposed the pupil ready drilled ; nevertheless, 

 when a bird drops, he may break in, and this should 

 be instantly and invariably resisted with down charge ! 

 ware dead! and the application of the whip when 

 persisted in. 



We now come to the important act of bagging the 

 birds which are down. Seek dead is an easy process 

 if they are dead ; but, if birds are winged, and run, 

 your dog will require great indulgence and encourage- 

 ment in footing them out, till experience teaches him 

 to distinguish the fail of a wounded bird from that of 

 one which is not. if he make it out, caress him with 

 seek dead I good dog ! etc., laying the bird before his 

 nose and feet ; but never permitting him to mouth or 

 pull the feathers off it. The perfecting a dog in this 

 branch of education, which enables him to road out 

 the scattered birds of a covey through all their 

 doublings, adds more to the pleasure of a really 

 scientific votary of the trigger than perhaps any other, 

 and, therefore, should be patiently and particularly 

 attended to. When we have got two or more so far 

 in their course, we may proceed to hunt them in 

 company, and learn them to back, which will not be 

 difficult, if they are decidedly subject to the take heed 

 — down I Some are in the practice of making their 

 dogs back up the dog which has the point : we prefer 

 having them to drop and lie till he makes out his birds, 

 which he is entitled to do, and ought to show the same 

 respect in turn. Dogs are not exempt from jealousy, 

 and often break through the rules when a rival is at 

 hand. When in company they should hunt in an 

 independent manner, crossing and quartering their 



