dogs. 97 



bring to your feet, when retrieving game he may 

 release cripples where they will be enabled to 

 escape, or at least cause unnecessary trouble to 

 again secure. 



Duck-dogs are usually rather hard-mouthed, 

 being frequently obliged to grip tightly to pre- 

 vent cripples from escaping ; as ducks, I think, 

 are more inclined than land fowl to struggle 

 when captured, besides being considerably stronger 

 and heavy to carry. My own dog, which 1 

 trained from a pup and made my almost con- 

 stant companion, I taught to bring wounded birds 

 tenderly in the following way : 



One day, as he happened to be amusing himself 

 gnawing splinters from the round of my chair, a 

 kind of diversion he appeared to be particularly 

 delighted with, 1 told him to quit, at the same 

 time tapping him slightly on the nose with a small 

 stick which I happened to have in my hand. He 

 stopped, but presently commenced again. It im- 

 mediately occurred to me that here was a splendid 

 opportunity for teaching him the meaning of a 

 command which it might be well for him to under- 

 stand thereafter. So saying to him, " Don't bite 

 it," I tapped him again. He of course stopped, 

 not because I told him to, but to wonder at the 



