45 



having waited your commands until he hears 

 the notice for seek dead, or until you begin to 

 move towards the bird, he will make his way 

 more direct to it: but by no means suffer this, 

 until you have him in such a thorough state of 

 discipline as to be trusted near the bird alone. 



I would here observe, that it is a very general 

 practice, even with what are esteemed high- 

 broken dogs, if surprized when at a distance 

 by some casual shot, and it is their conduct 

 also when hunted in company, for the dogs 

 most remote from the point to come galloping 

 in upon fire, with a sweep behind you : nor is 

 this always the result of their natural inclina- 

 tion to come in for their share of a snap at the 

 game that may be down ; but you will hear 

 them actually summoned to it by the whistle 

 of their mis-leader : and many a bird of a well- 

 broken covey is thus rattled up without your 

 having a chance at it. The distinguished pre- 

 ference due to the other method needs not be 

 pointed out. But it is not so much the loss of 

 this chance that I am disposed to take excep- 

 tion at: it produces mischief; your attention is 

 engaged in marking some of the other birds; 

 or in reloading, or perhaps in gossiping; and 

 those broken birds, as your dog scampers down 

 the wind, rise before him unchallenged; which, 



