GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 37 



\^nien pointers or setters give tongue in cover — 

 wliicli, as I have just observed, tliey Avill some- 

 times acquire a habit of doing — they may serve the 

 place of spaniels, and will find a great deal of 

 game ; but they cannot make their way through 

 the tangled cover as spaniels will do, nor can 

 this habit be taught. It must come instinctively, 

 and may perhaps be traced to some remote cross 

 of the foxhound or hanier. An old pointer I 

 shot partridges over in the year 1847 would open 

 if he saw all the birds go away, but was mute 

 if an individual fell. A setter I had in 1849 

 would not fail to give tongue upon flushing a 

 woodcock or any ivinged game in cover, but was 

 mute when a hare moved away from before him. 



It is well known amongst old sportsmen that a 

 bird pointed in a hedgerow will, whenever it is 

 possible, go out on the side opposite to the 

 dog ; consequently, if the hedge be a high one, 

 the chance of a shot is lost, unless the shooter 

 can also get to the side opposite to the dog. 

 Sometimes this is not practicable ; but, with a 

 little practice, a sagacious dog may soon be taught 

 to leave his point, to cross the hedgerow, and 

 put out the bird, so that the shooter may have 

 an unobstructed shot. The dog must be taught 

 to do this by gently leading him away from the 

 point to some distance, and then putting him 

 over, or encouraging him to get over, the lied2:e, 



