Stone Hunting. 131 
and instructed him how to quarter the ground properly. 
In this way, half-a-dozen lessons made him tolerably expert. 
Stone hunting is very excellent practice for young dogs, 
and they become extraordinarily fond of the sport, because, I 
imagine, they are conscious of exercising their sense of smell 
to the utmost, and there is the frequent gratification, so 
dear to their hearts, of having done their duty well. Stones 
are better for the purpose than any other objects, having 
no odour proper to themselves. Whatever may attract the 
dog’s eye, such as a stick or ball, or anything with which 
he is familiar, should be avoided, at least in training, for 
it is desired to teach him entire dependence on his nose, 
which begets such implicit confidence that he will work for 
an indefinite time rather than give up the quest; whereas 
he soon becomes discouraged if he has acquired the bad 
habit of using his sight and is immediately successful, 
while in the dark he can then do nothing. For this reason 
the learner should be taught at night, when his eyes can 
give him no help. 
My three retrievers, the two Carlos and Hector, were 
accomplished stone hunters, and on every fine night I in- 
dulged them in their favourite pastime. On a freshly mac- 
adamised road I would frequently take up one of the pieces 
of angular granite, rub off a corner on the kerbstone as 
a means of identification, and throw it to a distance among 
the others. The only indication of its whereabouts the dog 
could have, was the sound of its fall, yet failure to retrieve 
it was the rarest occurrence. Between two dogs equally ex- 
pert it is interesting to watch the eager emulation displayed 
in the effort to be first to detect the whereabouts of the 
stone. 
Constant practice is of great advantage to a sporting dog. 
It cultivates his sense of smell, trains him to perseverance, 
steadies him for his work in the field, and, by no means 
the least consideration, gives him an immense amount of 
innocent enjoyment and affords healthy employment for his 
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