THE SETTER. 171 



apprehension of men, not only pointing the chickens and 

 pigeons, in the stable yard or in the street, but backing 

 one another in their points. 



Now backing is entirely, and from the beginning, a bit 

 of tuition. There is no movement resembling it in the 

 natural action of a dog, nor, if there were, could it be of 

 any service to him in a state of nature, but rather the 

 reverse. 



It is assumed, no one can say with how much plausi' 

 bility or truth, that the assumption and retention of a 

 stationary attitude, on coming upon a hot scent, is merely 

 an adaptation to our uses, by the breaker, of a natural 

 peculiarity of the dog intended by nature for his own 

 behoof. 



On scenting his game and crawling up as he still does, 

 almost on his belly, and elbows, to the immediate prox- 

 imity of it, the animal naturally, it is said, paused, in 

 some instances couched — as does the cat or leopard — 

 in order to collect its energies and contract its muscles for 

 the fatal spring. This pause, it is added, man has seized ; 

 taught the animal to prolong it ; and so adapted it to his 

 own purpose. It surely can be no native instinct implanted 

 by the Creator in the dog from the beginning ; since no 

 animal possesses an instinct, which to possess would be 

 useless, much more injurious to itself. 



How a dog standing stock still, as if in a half catalep- 

 tic state, with eyes glaring, lips slavering, tail rigid, back 

 bristling, and limbs quivering with excitement, motion- 

 less and attempting to effect nothing for ten minutes, or 

 haif an hour, until the bevy of birds takes to its wings and 



