26 THE DOG ; AND HOW TO BREAK HIM. 



over-cageriiess to secure tliem. A -winged bircV 

 on fallings will,, if not immediately pursued, be 

 pretty certain to run into tlie first bit of thick 

 cover it can find, or even to remain perfectly 

 still on the spot on which it falls. Under any 

 circumstances it is best to give the game a little 

 time, and it will be the more easily brought to 

 bag either by a retriever or any other kind of 

 dog. 



A retriever should be sufficiently large and 

 powerful to carry a hare, without difficidty, at a 

 gallop ; and to jump a fence with her. There is 

 an objection to large dogs in shooting where the 

 covers are thick and close ; and that is, that they 

 cannot so well make their way through the under- 

 wood as dogs of smaller size. Both pheasants and 

 hares are often found in coppice woods of three or 

 four years^ growth ; and frequently in these places 

 a luxuriant growth of brambles interposes ait 

 almost insurmountable barrier to the passage of a 

 large dog by forming a tangled network about the 

 heiglit of his breast, and leaving a tolerably clear 

 l)ottom, where a small dog has not much difficult^ 

 in making his way. 



It is necessary that your dog should !)<.> 

 taught to bring his game as quickly as possiljle 

 and deliver it into your hand. A rather ludicrous, 

 but at the same time vexatious circumstance oc- 

 curred one day when I was shooting. I had with 



