THE MODERN ENGLISH POINTER. 133 



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 where the warm and damp climate encourages the growth of 



covert for birds in the autumn, and at the same time permits 

 dogs to scent their game. As a rule, however, not a tithe of the 

 dogs formerly kept- in the south for partridge-shooting are now 

 in existence, in spite of the large increase of certificated sports- 

 men, who, however, rely on walking turnips with a retriever or 

 on " driving " for the sport they anticipate. A moderately fast 

 and steady dog who can find birds in turnips is now a rarity, and 

 pace is regarded as the sine qua non, because that quality really 

 is essential to the grouse-dog. But for partridges it is better to 

 have no dog than one which will flush every other covey and 

 drive it off the manor without a shot. Nose, and, steadiness 

 "before' and "behind," are the essentials in him, united with as 

 much pace as is consistent with their display. So rare is this com- 

 bination, that, in all the field trials I have ever seen, I have only 

 twice seen birds found in turnips; once by that very fast dog Mr. 

 Macdona's " Banger," and once by a bitch of Mr. Llewellyn's ; 

 but, in the latter case, she was made to range within forty yards 

 of the gentleman who hunted her, and as an aid to the gun 

 would be useless. Even " Banger " has only on one day shown 

 this power, within my knowledge of him, and on five or six 

 other occasions has flushed his game from not moderating his 

 pace. Mr. Price's celebrated " Drake" I never saw in turnips 

 but once, and then he was upset by his companion refusing to 

 back him, so that I cannot speak as to his powers in that respect ; 

 but the noise made by such a flyer in the turnips must always 

 cause him to flush birds, unless he moderates his pace on his 

 own accord, as " Banger " did on the occasion in question, and 

 as Mr. Llewellyn's bitch was made to do. 



For the last thirty years the shooting world has been in 

 doubt as to the respective merits of the two strains of the pointer, 



