

104 



been so fully exemplified under the head of 

 " Seek dead," p. 53, &c.), through all the wind- 

 ings of the game on foot, until it springs before 

 him. If at the last point, the game had been 

 followed up by a dog of more experience in 

 this way, he would not have been trailed off to 

 windward by a straggling bird at the first chop ; 

 but having felt his way forward a little, he would 

 have told you a different story, and have led 

 you, step by step, bristling at the manifest 

 increase of haunt on every side, down towards 

 the middle of the brood ; which would thus 

 have been broken to some advantage. With 

 every view, therefore, from the first touch of 

 haunt upon the morning feed, up to the final 

 purpose of infallible retrieve, from the intricate 

 business of tracking out an old grouse-cock 

 among the broken hags, down to the still more 

 equivocal chance for a second find of the little 

 delicate land-rail, it is of the last importance 

 that a perfection in this lesson of " footing out 

 the game" should be solicitously taught, and 

 steadily adhered to. I will grant that it has 

 not about it quite so much of show, nor doth it 

 give birth to all the grand emotions excited by 

 the approach ahead, and bearing down in line 

 upon a team of dogs unmoved as though just 

 hewn out of the marble : neither will the younger 

 class of sportsmen be quite so well satisfied 



