198 AMERICAN GAME. 
setters, according to individual preference of this or that 
race of dogs; for myself, of the two, I prefer the setter, 
as in cock-shooting there is always abundance of water 
to be had, and this rough-coated, high-strung dog can 
face brakes and penetrate coverts, which play the 
mischief with the smooth satiny skin of the high-blooded 
pointer. ' 
In truth, however, neither of these, but the short- 
legged, bony, red and white cocking-spaniel, is the true 
dog over which to shoot summer woodcock ; and no one, 
I will answer for it, who has ever hunted a good cry of 
these, will ever again resort either to setter or pointer 
for this, to them, inappropriate service. 
The true place for these dogs is the open plain, the 
golden stubble, the wide-stretching prairie, the highland , 
moor, where they can find full scope for their heady 
courage, their wonderful fleetness, their unwearied 
industry, and display their miracles of staunchness, 
steadiness, and nose. 
In order to hunt these dogs on ie you must unteach 
them some of their noblest faculties, you must tame 
down their spirits, shackle their fiery speed, reduce 
them, in fact, to the functions of the spaniel, which is 
much what it would be to train a battle charger to bear 
a pack-saddle, or manage an Eclipse into a lady’s 
ambling palfrey. 
The cocking-spaniel, on the.contrary, is here in his 
very vocation, Ever industrious, ever busy, never rang- 
