THE KETRIEVEli. 27 



me a very good spaniel — one that wonld readily 

 fetch birds out of the ^^ater^ but would not carry 

 them on land : I killed a bird, which fell into an 

 old marl-pit, in the centre of which there was a 

 small island. The dog swam to the bird, and car- 

 ried it on to this island ; from off v.hich nothing 

 could induce him to fetch it. Birds are occasion- 

 ally lost in turnips or potatoes by pointer or setter 

 retrievers dropping them out of their mouths 

 within a few yards of the shooter ; and let it be 

 remembered that dogs Avill seldom notice in any 

 way a bird thus dropped. They are aware it is 

 not to be eaten by themselves, and their interest 

 in it appears to cease with its capture and death. 



You should teach your dog to retrieve quickly, 

 which may be done by rewarding him with food 

 and caressing him. But you. must take care not to 

 give him food or teach him to expect it, so as to 

 acquire the habit of dropping his game as soon as 

 he reaches you ; on the contrary, it will be well 

 to let him occasionally carry a bird or hare some 

 distance, and encourage him to do so ; and to 

 bear in mind that it should be taken from his^ 

 mouth by the hand, when it is required from him, 

 in as gentle a manner as possible. 



Some dogs acquire a wonderful sagacity in 

 marking birds. An old favoiu'ite pointer, bred by 

 myself, was remarkable in this way. It is a most 

 useful quality, and cannot be too much encou- 



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