32 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Ave. 7% 1884, 
Eeeping them in a constant whirl of excitement; from experi- 
eneé I niust iIndorse three or four small dogs, 
Tam unlike Mr. Phebusin my experience. He says in his 
romantic article of July 17 that the practice of shooting rab- 
bits before beagles is pernicious and will render a pack useless. 
Ihave had dogs refuse to go out without the gun, and I think 
there are more like me. A beagle will soon learn the differ- 
ence. Iam sure mine are always prouder than I when I kill 
the game. Hesays a pot-hunter goes for quantity. I would 
ask what kind of sport it is to stand by and see a rabbit torn 
or mouthed in pieces? Would not the pot-hunter haye made 
better use of it? I take it as a wholesale waste of game, 
something the FOREST aND STREAM has been trying to stop 
tor many years. As to his bagging fifty-six out of sixty 
starts, and nearly all run down, I would say I haye never in 
all of my experience, and I was in the field before Mr. Phebus 
run down ten rabbits, when they had any kind of a chance; 
I do not know what kind of country or rabbits there is in 
Berkley county, Virginia, but this I do know, that eighteen or 
eleven inch dogs can’t run them down in Pennsylvania in less 
than forty-five minutes, if they can do it then, and make out 
the doubles, and he has done it, one in nearly every twenty 
minutes fortwo whole days. lwould ask some other beagle 
man that runs down rabbits if they can do this. 
Ihave had some of the very strain that Mr. Phebus writes 
about, and a friend close by who has three more, and although 
they are good dogs, above the average beagle in hunting, we 
could never equal his record. I would say in conclusion that 
if the beagle men want good dogs, give them plenty of work 
without the gun, but if you want ketter dogs and better sport, 
give them plenty of work with it. Lovis SLOAN. 
PHILADELPHIA, July 23. 
NATIONAL BENCH SHOW ASSOCIATION. 
A CALL, 
\ Ay* publish below a call for a meeting to be held at Phila- 
delphia, Sept. 17, for the purpose of forming a National 
Bench Show Association, We received the call last week 
from arse Taylor, who requested us to withhold its publica- 
tion until this week. We complied with the request, as we 
were in honor bound to do, but why he should wish it to ap- 
pear in ForEsSt AnD STREAM a week later than in other 
papers we do not understand. The call is addressed to all ken- 
nel clubs and associations in this country and Canada, under 
whose auspices bench shows have been held, We hope that 
every one will respond and send delegates, or designate proxies, 
whose names should be sent to Major J. M. Taylor, Lexington, 
Ky., or to Mr. Elliot Smith, New York, Thesecretariés of all 
associations taking action in the matter will confer a favor 
by at once informing us of the result. 
As the propriety and necessity of forming a National Bench 
Show Association has been discussed, and a general agree- 
ment arrived at that there should be one, we hereby issue 
a call to the kennel clubs and associations, under whose 
auspices bench shows have been held, throughout the United 
States and Canada, to hold a meeting at once and elect a dele- 
gate to represent them at a convention to be held at Philadel- 
phia, Pa,, Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 10 o’clock A. M., it being 
the second day of the Philadelphia Kennel Club show. If it 
is found impossible to send delegate, if name of any proxy 
elected to represent is mailed to J. M. Taylor, it will e at- 
tended to and the person notified. When meetings are held 
secretaries are requested to notify promptly the press of their 
action. (Signed) J. M. TAYLOR, 
WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB. 
WISDOM FOR 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
‘Tonoramus” stands self-confessed_and self-proven. The 
wise men have not “had their say.” I have not said a word. 
The simplicity of the inquiry as to the fe Feels Nt of judges! 
That is the very latest triumph of the clairvoyant’s art, The 
spirits of Montargis, Prince Llewelyn and St. Hubert are 
consulted through a medium, and the voice of the majority 
decides the selection. 
“Raking!” Why that is a weak invention of inexperienced 
ones, unable to do it themselves. Plastering up sores, doctor- 
ing tails, etc,, is “high art,” generally imported (duty free). 
Dogs’ ages are never given wrongly, but sometimes stud 
books do lie. Ay ; . 
Judges are paid, well paid, by the privilege of looking wise 
in a ring, 
“Merits of a dog” is a technical term for the length of the 
owzer’s tongue. ; . 
- Wf “Tenoramus” had consulted either of the canine authori- 
ties above-named, full exposure of ignorance would have 
been avoided. 7 
Catus (with approval of Dame Juliana Berners), 
Wrstminster Appry, No time. 
“IGNORAMUS.” 
PHILADELPHIA BENCH SHOW. 
HE list of special prizes already donated by the leading 
firms of Philadelphia for the exhibition to take place 
Sept. 16, 17, 18 and 19, isa very valuable one—a rough esti- 
mate made of its worth places it over $1,000, while more will 
be added before the show takes place. Superintendent Lin- 
colnis expected here in about ten days, when all arrange- 
ments will be completed. In connection with the display of 
dogs. various dealers in sporting goods, etc., have expressed a 
desire to exhibit their wares, a feature which will add much 
interest to theshow. Before FOREST AND STREAM goes to press 
again the Philadelphia Kennel Club will have held a stated 
meeting when the judges will be selected. ’ 
Satisfactory progress is being made by the field trial com- 
mittee of the Philadelphia Kennel Club im regard to the trials 
of the association, a nuraber of entries for which have been 
made. Homo, 
LAVERACK SETTERS. 
Editor Forest and Stream: . 
“Homo” is certainly well up on the Laverack setter. So far 
as field work goes, y would not fancy his selection for stud 
urposes, 
3 he wants to breed dogs for bench shows under a standard 
not fitted for field purposes—the latter being the real object 
for which all setter dogs have heretofore been bred—he had 
better enter them in the non-sporting class, as all bench show 
standards for setters are supposed to cover all points of form 
neeessary for a perfect field dog. ; 
“Fomo’s” scale of pointsfor a stud dog would run something 
like the following: 
; High-appearing quality.......-.,.-..+-+ 
Fine texture of coat....--...:..2--5:5 fone 
General symmetry of outline....... 
OBSERVER, 
BEAGLES AT THE PHILADELPHIA SHOW. 
Editor Forest and Stream: " 5 
T send you the list of classes for beagles at the Philadelphia 
bench show in September. 1 do so that those who are inter- 
ested may know in time what classes they will beable to enter 
their favorites in, and get them in proper form. The Philadel- 
hia Kennel Club have considered the claims of the American 
uglish Beagle Club and kindly given us the classes asked for, 
and I hope that all of our beagle owners will make an effort 
to have such a display of oui little hound as never has been 
seen before in this country. The prizes are liberal, also the 
classes, and there should bea grand response from lovers of 
“the beagle. Besides the regular prizes there will be specials, 
among which the American Huglish Beagle Club will donate 
two cups, one forthe best beagle entered below 12 inches. The 
awards will be made according to the scale of points adopted | as preferable to letting them hunt rabbits, Teach them early 
by the club. 
Below are the classes: Champion dogs, champion medal, 
bitches the same; open, dogs oyer 12 inches, $10, $5 and medal, 
bitches the same; under 12 inches, dogs the same, bitches the 
same, W. H, ASHBURNER. 
MEETING OF EXHIBITORS AND BREEDERS. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
During the past few days I haye been in receipt of a number 
of signed circular letters from gentlemen, many of whom are 
well known as exhibitors and breeders, asking me to call a 
meeting for the purpose of establishing a kennel club, These 
read as follows: 
Editor American Kennel Register: 
In yiew of the conflicting actions of the Westminster Kennel Club 
and of Major Taylor relative to the inception of a National Kennel 
Club, and the danger of the proposal falling through thereby, we re- 
speetfully ask you to issue a call for a meeting of exhibitors and 
clubs to form such a kennel elub, and that you prepare a plan of 
organization, work, etc., for such a chib, to be considered at this 
meeting. Itseems very desirable thatthe co-operation of so respected 
and experienced a judge as Major Taylor and so old and influential 
an organization as the Westminster Kennel Club should both be 
secured to this object. . 
Since these circulars were sent out by the original signers, 
Messrs, Wade, Kirk, Burgess and Perry, I have been informed 
by Mr, Elliot Smith that, in conjunction with Major Taylor, 
the Westminster Kennel Club has called a meeeting of dog- 
show clubs, to be held at Fhiladelphia on Sept,17, This call 
Mr, Smith read to me, and it contains no reference to exhibi- 
tors er breeders; and he further informed me that, in his opin- 
ion, individuals could not forma club to have any control over 
dog shows. If struck me that, if individuals were not wanted, 
it was rather strange that one of the two signers of the call 
should be a private individual, 
With all due respect to the gentlemen asking me to call a 
meeting of exhibitors and clubs, I think it would be better to 
allow my call to be addressed to all interested in breeding’ or 
exhibiting, so that clubs may be represented if they so desire 
otherwise it would appear as if there was antagonism. I 
therefore desire to notify all such that a meeting will be held 
in Philadelphia on the evening of Sept. 16. The time and 
place will be duly announced later on. 
Yours truly, 
EDITOR AMERICAN KENNEL REGISTER. 
BREAKING SPANIELS, 
<1 0 little trouble is taken generally in breaking this, one of 
.) the most useful of the sportsman’s canine friends, that a 
few words on the subject may not be out of place. Most peo- 
ple are contented if a dog will work within gunshot and push 
out the game for him to kill. Almost any mongrel, with the 
necessary practice and experience will do this, but lam sup- 
posing that the sportsman takes a pride in his dogs, likes to 
haye good looking and well-bred ones, and if he wishes to 
shoot in comfort and in good form when he uses spaniels, itis 
quite as necessary to have them well trained as it isfor any 
other breed of sporting dog. I will therefore proceed to give 
such few directions as my experience has taught. I know no 
dog that more repays the trouble of breaking yourself (that 
is, if you have the requisite knowledge and patience) than the 
spaniel, who, from the natural love and affection he has for 
his master more than any other dog, should be more ready to 
work for him than any one else; but the fact is, from the 
spaniel’s winning ways, and his beautiful pleading eyes, it re- 
quires a little hardheartedness on the part of the breaker, for 
the spaniel will bear and requires a good bit of whipcord, not- 
wishstanding ‘‘Actzeon’s” dictum, as advocated in an article 
in a contemporary, that he will bear less than any other dog, 
Ispeak from considerable experience—the spaniel’s natui‘al 
love of and ardor in hunting, require a firm hand over 
him until he is matured. Thereis an old saying that ‘‘a spaniel 
is good until he is nearly worn out”—there is a great 
deal of truth in this, for very few spaniels are good for much 
until they are at least three or four years old. I recollect an 
old bitch that belonged to an ‘‘old Devonshire sportsman”— 
by the way it was not that gentleman who was in the habit of 
opening a conversation with those words, and who used to 
buttonhole you so at certain dog shows—who used to boast 
that he could kill more game to ‘‘old Fan” than three parts of 
the men with their teams of spaniels and numerous keepers; 
the fact was, as | found out afterward, that she was so cun- 
ning that she used to catch as much as he shot. When the 
old man died I bought the bitch, as she had a great reputa- 
tion, but she was fax too much of a pot-hunter for me.  [ 
could have backed her against a moderate gun any day, and 
to prevent her getting into other hands I shot her, Spaniels 
get very knowing in working to the gun after a few seasons, 
and it is astonishing what efforts they will make to maneuyre 
the game out to the shooter, I have seeu numberless instances 
of this, particularly in hedge-row shooting, when I have tre- 
quently seen a clever old dog on winding game, noj make a 
rush at it, which would have had the effect of sending it out 
the other side, but pop through the fence and push it out to 
you, This, as I have said, is only acquired by experience, and 
a young, vigorous spaniel will push up the game when he has 
a chance irrespective of lending any aid tothe gun. A really 
good spaniel, even when he is busy questing and bustling 
about, should always have an eye to the gun, and work to it 
instead of for himself and his own gratification and amuse- 
ment. 
You cannot well begin too early to train young spaniels to 
get their noses down and to hunt close; to work thoroughly 
every bit of ground and every hole and corner that can pos- 
sibly shelter a head of game is what the spaniel is required to 
do when he is grown up; and in order to inculcate this habi 
in him, and to discourage what they are so prone to do, 
namely, go ahead, you should begin by flinging small bits of 
meat or boiled liver into small patches of turnips in a garden, 
or small patches of thick bushes, or any kind of covert that 
will cause them to seek for it with their noses and not with 
their eyes. By no means enter your young spaniels to rabwits 
if you can possibly help it; they take to them too soon unfor- 
tunately when they get the chance, and there is no fear about 
their having the opportunity quite soon enough; enter them 
to winged game by all means, and for this purpose get an old 
cock partridge, cut one wing (if you cut two he will still be 
able to make some sortof a fly of it), and put him into a small 
patch of thick covert. A really well-bred spaniel ought to 
prefer the scent of winged game to fur; but how rarely this 
is found to be the case, and one reason for it is that the puppy 
is generally first introduced to the scent of rabbits. Ninety- 
nine keepers out of a hundred enter their young spamiels to 
rabbits because it saves trouble, as they are easily found, but 
it ruins the dog. ae ; 
Never take young spaniels into large or thick coverts where 
they can get away from under your eye, which they will be 
pretty sure to do. Confine your working ground to small bits 
of covert, patches of turnips, bushes, bits of gorse, anything, 
in fact, where you will be likely to have enough cohtrol over 
them, and where they are in reach of an attendant, whom 
ou should always have with you to turn them to your whistle. 
aac found it a first-rate plan to take them out on the sides 
of rivers and ponds, where there are lots of moorhens, and 
plenty of sedge and rushes; let them bunt in the rushes till 
they are tired, and a morning’s work at this fun will do them 
more good than anything I know of, they very soon 
get fond of the work; it teaches them to hunt close, and 
they are perfectly under the control of yourself and a 
lad. Itis said the scent of the inoorhen is very like that of 
the woodcock. I do not know how any one could tell this, 
but at all events itis a bird whose scent they enjoy, and it 1s 
o drop to hand and shot, and spare no pains about it; this is 
a part of a spaniel’s education which is generally neglected, 
and 1b 18 a sine qué non for ateam of spaniels, if they are to 
be worthy of the name of being called broken. I know 
many men, who, instead of making them drop to shot, make 
them come 1o heel, using the word ‘“‘come round” or “heel” 
it answers every purpose. And as it brings every dog to you, 
and he has to work right away from you again when he gets 
the signal, it has its advantages in keeping them under con- 
trol, but on the whole I prefer the dropping to shot and wing 
instantly; itis difficult tomake spaniels drop to fur, and if 
you can keep them free from chasing, merely putting up hares 
and rabbits, but not following them after they are started, 
rest satisfied that little more is necessary or desirable. 1 once 
saw a very pretty thing of this Kind. J was shooting with a 
gentleman near Southampton in one of his coverts to a nice 
team of small Clumbers; we were both standing in a ride 
and saw a charming little bitch feathering hear to us toward 
the ride. Just as she got to it out popped a rabbit and seut- 
tled down the ride, followed out of the covert by the bitch, 
but directly she had cleared the wood and was clear im the 
ride close on to the rabbit, which she had not seen till then, 
down she dropped, entirely of her own accord, as she had not 
seen either of us, neither did we know that we were each 
observing this pretty bit of work until we compared notes a 
few minutes afjer, and agreed that we had never seen any- 
thing better. It is rather difficult, to describe, but to me it 
was worth all the afternoon’s shooting, and it made an 1m- 
ression at the time which is as fresh as ever now; she was, 
need scarcely say, thoroughly broken. 
If it is desired to make young spaniels take the water, and 
they show any disinclination to it, the best plan is to take 
them to a stream which you can wade through; walk throtish 
to the other side.and they will probably follow you at onee;if 
they do not, walk straight away from the opposite side and go 
out of sight, they will come after making a little fuss about 
it. If you have not a suitable shallow stream, but are obliged 
to make use of a deep river for your purpose. getanattendant 
whom they do not know ta hold your puppies while you go 
around by a bridge out of their sight, and come down oppo- 
site to them, and follow the instructions [ haye given aboye; 
but remember niany young dogs have xt first a great fear of 
getting out of their depth all at once, but will freely dabble 
into a shallow stream, so itis best to lead them on by degrees. 
Once having got off their legs, and finding that itis an easy 
matter to swim there will be no further trouble. Always 
choose warm weather for this teachIng, There is, however, 
no better plan of teaching them to take to the water than 
letting them hunt moorhens. As to whether spaniels should 
be taught to retrieye or not will depend woon what your 
requirements are, the number you see, and so on.- 
you are a one-dog man, by all means take all the trouble 
you can to perfect him in this business, and for this purpose 
you should choose your wheip from a strain that retrieves 
naturally. 
If you work three or four spaniels together, unless they are 
thoroughly broken, they all want toretrieve, anditis often the 
cause of much foul language and great trouble. Nothing looks 
worse than to see several dogs all tugging at one bird, exept 
perhaps the bird itself afterward. 1f yourdogs are sufficiently 
broken and under command, and will drop to shot or come to 
heel, and you can direct either one of them to find the wounded. 
game, while the others remain down or at heel, you can let 
them take it in turn which shall be allowed the pleasure and 
honor of recovering the wounded; ut how rarely one sees 
spaniels so well under command as this. In the case of a team 
of spaniels, I think it better that they should not be allowed to 
retrieve, and this duty is better confined to a regular retriever. 
A team of Clumbers should never be allowed to retrieve. I 
recollect a Clumber I had called Joe, one of the best markers 
of a wounded bird I ever saw, and he would be sure to find if 
too, go where or what distance it might; but if Joe eould 
break away from me, [had to go with all my might to get up, 
for as sure as fate if he had time he would break every bone 
in the bird’s body before he brought it to me. 
Tt is a good plan with young spaniels to walk round a covert 
toward the evening when pheasants are out at feed in the 
stubbles, having an attendant with you to preyent them get- 
ting into covert, and walk in a zigzag way about the stubbles; 
you can generally give them plenty of practice in this way, 
and enter them well to the scent of winged game. It is diffi- 
cult to find high and thick stubbles now such as we used ta 
haye, but suitable bits can be found here and there. If your 
puppies do not readily turn to your whistle, but show a dispo- 
sition to go on, turn your back upon them and go the other 
way, which will generally have the desired effect andarate 
or a crack of the whip from your attendant will greatly aid 
it. If a puppy is too fast, put up a foreleg in his collar, or tie 
astrap tightly round one hindleg just aboye the hock, but 
neither of them must remain very long without changing, or 
you will produce swelling and inflammation. Apart from the 
pleasure and satisfaction there is in shooting to dogs of your 
own breaking, there is this advantage, that they learn to un- 
derstand your ways, and to know thoroughly your every look 
and motion, while you at the same time perfectly understand 
them. e 
In selecting young spaniels to break, if you do not breed 
your own, be most particular in getting them from a 
thoroughly good working strain, of a sort that a friend of 
mine designates as “savage for work:” this is most difficult to 
do atthe present day, as owing to most of the handsomest 
spaniels being bred and kept entirely for show purposes, the 
produce from them is rendered soit and useless. This, of 
course, is not always the case, but that it is the case too often, 
if not generally, is beyond dispute, To work spaniels 1m thick, 
large woods, you should always go with them to work them, 
or send some one they are accustomed to do soto, or they 
will either become wild or slack. And with the spaniel of the 
present day I believe that wildness will be found the lesser 
evil of the two, as they have become soft and deficient in 
pluck, without which a spaniel in a rough country is useless.— 
‘dn Old Judge of Spaniels” in Land and Water. 
CURRENT DOG STORIES. 
XXXY. 
Sergeant Geo. Osborne, of the Yonkers police, is a noted 
sportsman. Next week the Sergeant is to take his vacation, 
and, by dint of much persuasion, he succeeded in borrowiug 
Commissioner P. U. Fowler’s hunting dog, a beautitul setter 
with big brown eyes. It was vaiued at 32U0. Sergeant Os- 
borne proudly led his prize down te the police station. and, 
atter exhibiting him to everybody, went and chained him up 
in the police stable. That evening one of the policemen 
brought in a big black dog that had bitten somebody, and tied 
him up in the stable next to the brown setter, The Captain 
sat in judgment on the black dog, heard all the details of his 
crime, and ordered Detective Pats ‘Quinn to. go out and shoot 
him. Quinh took a revolver and lantern and went out to the 
barn. ‘The setter had broken loose, and jumped upon him to 
caress him, whereupon Quinn shot him through theneck, made 
sure that he was dead, and went back to report that he had 
killed the vicious brute just in time, rt 5 
Osborne went to the stable and found the beantitul setter lying 
dead at one end of a broken chain, while the black dog was 
dancing wp and down at the end of another chain, ready to go 
hunting, The black dog has since died.—N_ Y. Sun. 
_ X&XxKYL 
A good story of a dog's ability to find its way from a strange 
place to its former home comes from Flat Rock, O, A young 
tarmer named McCauley emigrated from that pluce to Kansas, 
He put his goods on the 
Next morning Sergeant 
‘ 
cars at Bellevue, and with them puta — 
— 
