44- OljfrClTHOLOgr. Book I. 



Chap. V. 

 Several ways of taking Cartridges. 



§• 4- 



How to take Partridges and other Birds with a Setting-dog. 



A Setting-dog fhould be a lufty Land-Spaniel, that will range well, and yet at 

 fuch abfblute command, that when he is in his full career one hem of his Ma- 

 fter {hall make him ftand ftill, gaze about him, and look in his Mafters face, as 

 it Were expecting directions from him, whether to proceed, ftand ftill, or retire: but 

 the main thing he is to be taught is, when he fees and is near his Prey of a fudden to 

 ftand ftill, or fall down flat on his belly, without making any noife or motion till his 

 Mafter come to him. 



For taking Partridge with him 5 when you come into the fields where Partridges 

 frequent, call: off your Dbg, and let him range or hunt, taking care that he range not 

 too far from you, but beat his ground juftly and even, without calling about and 

 flying now here arid now there, and skipping many places ( which the mettle of ma- 

 ny even good dogs will make them cpttodo.) If he dofo, call him in with a hem, 

 and threaten him with a ftern countenance 3 and when he doth well encourage him. 

 When you fee him make a fudden ftop or ftand ftill, be lure he hath fet the Fowl 5 

 therefore prefently make in to him,and bid him go nearer 5 if he refufes,but either lies 

 ftill or ftands fhakingof his tail, and withal now and then looks back upon you, he is 

 near enough: Then begin your range or circumference about both the Dog and Par- 

 tridge, not ceafing, but walking about with a good round pace, looking ftill before 

 the Dogs nofe, to fee how the Covey lies, whether clofe together in a heap, or fcat- 

 tering. Then charging the Dog to Jie ftill, draw forth your Net, and opening of 

 it, take you one end of the top-cord, and your Companion the other, and holding it 

 ftretcht, run with the Net againft the Dog, and clap it down over the Birds, cover- 

 ing Dog and all with it : then make a noife to fpringthe Partridge,that they may rife, 

 and be entangled in the Net : Some obferve to run with their Net againft the wind,to 

 keep it fully extended. One man may make a (hift to do all .* But then he muft 

 peg down one end of his Net to the ground, and taking the other end fpread it over 

 the Birds. 



The Italians ( as Olina tells us ) are wont to purge their Dog before they go a Set- 

 ting with him : giving him a morfel made up of half an ounce of Agaric^ and two 

 drachms of Sal gemm£, mingled with honey of fvofes, covered over with Butter, or 

 lome other unctuous matter, that he may the more readily fwallow it: And the day 

 following a broth made of a Weathers head, boild fb, as with theflelh of it, bread, 

 and a little Brimfton pounded, to make a fup. He bids you alfo obferve, 1. Not to 

 hunt your Dog ( efpecially after he hath been new purged ) till the Sun hath dried up 

 the dew 5 becaufe elfe he will be apt to lofethe fent, and alfo hurt his feet. 2. To 

 begin to fet on your Dog under the wind, that he may take the fent the better. The 

 Net ( he faith ) ought to be a little longer than it is broad or deep 5 viz. between 

 feven and eight yards over, and between eight and nine deep. 



In this manner may be taken, not only Partridges, but Pheafants, Moor-pouts and 

 Quails. 



}. 1. 



Of -the haunts of Partridges, and how to find Partridges. 



THe haunts wherein Partridges moft delight, and moft conftantly abide, are 

 Corn-fields, efpecially during the time the Corn isftanding, under the Covert 

 whereof they meet and breed. After the Corn is cut down they ftill remain in the 

 Stubbles, efpecially Wheat-Stubbles, both becaufe they love to feed on that grain 

 before all others, and alfo for the height of the Stubble, which affords them fafer co- 

 vert. When the Wheat-ftubble is either too fcanty, or too much foyled and trodden 

 with Men and Cattel, they leave it and go to the Barley-ftubbles, which though in- 

 ferioyr in both refpects, yet beingfrefh, and not Co ufually trodden and beaten, they 



take 



