WILD-BRED AND HAND-REARED 183 



suit better than a setter, as the size of the latter is 

 much against him in such ground ; but in either case 

 you will want a steady, trustworthy dog which should, 

 if possible, retrieve as well' The difficulty about the 

 spaniel is that he is more than likely to dash in upon 

 the squatting cock pheasant before you have time to 

 come up and take the shot, whereas the setter on 

 finding himself close to his game would stand. But 

 if you can keep with the spaniel he is the best in thick 

 wood, while the setter will do more for you on broken 

 ground, where a good deal of ranging has to be got 

 through before you come to a find. 



Although I am, generally speaking, averse to 

 killing pheasants at all in early October, yet there 

 are always places, such as small isolated spinneys or 

 copses, which do not furnish a whole day's shooting, 

 and which it would not, consequently, be worth making 

 a day for on their account alone. • These may be taken 

 early in the season, together with a few partridge drives 

 or walks. 



But of all errors there is none greater than to 

 spoil a good day's partridge driving by going out of 

 your way, at }'Our keeper's request, in order to ' make 



' The spaniel is very apt to be hard-mouthed. I would 

 therefore recommend you to let him carry a cock pheasant as 

 short a distance as possible, especially if it be a winged bird. 



