Nov, 3, 1895. J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



8S7 



her gait being that of a good setter. Very active, nervous 

 and a demon to hunt, she was certainly a comfort to 

 watch after the long reach of mediocre work that had 

 been seen. Speedie was at times over-fast and over-ran 

 her trail on the oak flats. Yet when the hare turned 

 back Chief came through entirely off the trail, while 

 Speedie had it right and was soon far away with it. A 

 rabbit was marked and the two were brought to the trail. 

 Again Speedie was off first, tonguing, though both went 

 at fault soon and worked some time before they lined it 

 out. It was very noticeable that while Chief was hard- 

 headed and obstinate and hard to catch, Speedie was 

 tractable and under control and could readily be called in. 

 It being thought that Speedie knew certain of the grounds 

 too well, the pair were taken further away. They had 

 three tries on three hares that were started by the specta- 

 tors, and though Speedie did hardly so well as she had 

 done the day previous, she sustained her reputation. Up 

 at 1 :25. The j udges placed Speedie first. This was a most 

 popular award. The little bitch is a bundle of energy. 

 She has no great quality about the head, but has a splen- 

 did little running machine of a body. Her voice is good, 

 and she is most merry and industrious, not snuffling and 

 puzzling, but showing dash and certainty. One could 

 wish that all the dogs could have had a better chance to 

 show their nose, but under the circumstances it is not too 

 much to say that Speedie made the only respectable 

 showing seen at the meeting. 



Championship— Class F. 

 Eoyal Dick, first in Class C, was sole entry. He was 

 down briefly after lunch and again proved himself a 

 bright and merry little beagle, worthy of better weather. 



Special Prizes. 



The judges awarded the following special prizes: For 

 the most musical voice, King Lead; for the most accurate 

 trailing, Speedie; for the most effective ranging, Spotted 

 Chief. The F. F. Merrill special prize, $5, for best voice 

 in Class A, went to King Lead, as announced above; and 

 the G. A. Buckstaff special, $5, for best voice in Class D, 

 went to Ringer, as mentioned. 



At the close of the general hunt, a drive home late at 

 night and a supper of wild goose, sent from Dakota by 

 Mr. F. F. Merrill, an absent member of the cluh, closed 

 the meeting. E. Hough. 



909 Security Building, Chicago. 



FIELD TRIAL TRAINING. 



There is indisputably an apathy in field trial matters 

 on the part of the general public as compared with the 

 interest exhibited some years ago, and as to the causes of 

 it, they are other than lack of merit in the sport itself, 

 for sport with the dog and gun has not lessened in its 

 non-competitive features; indeed, field shooting has 

 increased steadily year by year — so much so as to excite 

 unpleasant apprehension in respect to the permanency of 

 the game supply. Therefore, as to the cause of the falling 

 off, it can reasonably be assumed that the indifference is 

 not to the sport itself, but to some displeasing feature of 

 the manner in which it is conducted. 



Objections to the Field Trial Dogr. 

 But has there been any objection expressed on the part 

 of the public which could reasonably be accepted as of 

 general meaning and earnestness? Undoubtedly, there 

 has been such objection, and, moreover, it has been in 

 existence some years. That is to say, the field trial dog, 

 in a general way, is not considered as being a shooting 

 dog. He is looked upon as a racing machine, distinct and 

 apart from the sportsman's use or real pleasures afield. 

 He does not appeal to the purposes of the practical sports- 

 man who goes afield to shoot, nor does he form a sympa- 

 thetic association with his pleasant remembrances. 

 This state of affairs has been fostered hy some unwise 

 utterances emanating from a field trial source to the 

 effect that there is a difference between field trial dogs 

 and field dogs — an absurdly shallow statement, since the 

 difference was not at all in the dogs, but in the manner of 

 handling and training them — a distinction which sets the 

 matter at rest, for to dispute it would be to admit that 

 the field trial dog cannot be trained for practical use to 

 the gun afield. 



Field Trial Training. 

 Let us consider now whether the objection had any 

 material ground for its existence. No doubt but what it 

 had such ground. Mr. Brailsford's letter, in a recent issue 

 of Forest and Stream, was a most courteous expression 

 of the objection, although it may be explained that the 

 lines were drawn more strictly at the Manitoba trials con- 

 cerning work to the gun than they have been in a long 

 while. Nevertheless, the objection which Mr. Brailsford 

 expressed is the objection of a multitude of American 

 sportsmen. 



The field trial dog and field trials themselves occupy a 

 realm of their own, apart from that of the sportsman who 

 loves sport for its own sake, and who cares naught for the 

 field trial except in so far as it is an exponent of field work 

 and as it brings to the fore the best dog for practical field 

 , shooting. 



No man, dearly as he may love field trials, can seriously 

 deny that in times past there has been too much of the 

 iwild, heady, or roughly and imperfectly broken dog, 

 otvhich made field trials a scramble, undignified many 

 [times, and specifically changing the nature of work in a 

 .competition from that of the dog afield for shooting. 



Working to the Gun. 



For the best enjoyment of sports afield the dog must 

 work to the gun. Moreover, it is one of the essentials of 

 a broken dog's education. If he does not work to the 

 gun he is not properly broken. Breaking a dog to point 

 steadily when he points birds, and backing with more or 

 less reliability, is not all of dog training. If the trainer 

 must chase his dog between whiles, following his dog's 

 erratic courses off the main course, which he is unable to 

 follow owing to the dog refusing to keep a course marked 

 out by the trainer, such dog is not broken properly. 



Not a few dogs in field trials fail to work to the gun. 

 They range entirely beyond the trainer's control and are 

 only approachable during the few moments they are on 

 point, or they alternately work under control awhile and 

 self-hunt awhile. 



Wide ranging at high speed at field trials, regardless of 

 whether the dog works to the gun or not, has too often 

 been accepted as the correct exposition of good work, 



The evil once established is difficult to cure. It is much 

 easier to half train a dog than it is to train him thor- 

 oughly. 



Now a dog may range wide and still work to the gun. 

 If he is working to the gun, the trainer can serenely keep 

 on the course laid out for him by the judge. Tlie trained 

 dog will keep his trainer in mind, note his whereabouts, 

 and observe him as a point to which to shape his efforts. 

 If he is not broken to the gun, the trainer cannot keep his 

 course, and becomes hurried, irritable, warm, and prolific 

 in excuses and explanations. 



Wide Ranging. 



Wide ranging has been overdone. Even where there 

 is abundance of room, when a dog ranges beyond a certain 

 distance, useful to the shooter, he is getting beyond 

 bounds. There is a certain territory on each side of the 

 shooter which the dog can beat out with reasonable 

 thoroughness, so that his gallop to and fro, and the walk 

 of the shooter in a more direct course, work conjointly in 

 harmony. Their actions are timed so that the efforts of 

 each supplement the other. When a dog goes too wide, 

 there must be good ground left unworked in the course 

 of the shooter, to say nothing of the loss of time in walking 

 unreasonably long distances to points which might have 

 been made much nearer to hand if the dog had worked 

 within a more reasonable range. Still, there are dogs 

 which range wide, yet beat out the ground so well and 

 are conscientiously working to the gun that the shooter 

 does not mind now and then the walk to a far-off point. 



These matters are of sufficient importance to engage 

 the earnest consideration of field trial managers and field 

 trial judges. While a competition cannot be run on ex- 

 actly the same lines as those of actual shooting, it can at 

 least approximate to it. With a return to conditions 

 which would show that the field trial dog and the shoot- 

 ing dog belonged to the same breed, public interest would 

 be reawakened and field trials and dog interests in gen- 

 eral would be a gainer. 



Stakes and Entry Fees. 



So much for the competitive features. Now, as to the 

 financial features, the columns of Forest and Stream 

 were the first to point out that the stakes were too high for 

 field trial clubs safely to assume as a responsibility. It was 

 making the field trial feature too expensive. It has been 

 pleaded by some that to reduce the prize money would 

 not leave enough prize money to pay the expenses of the 

 winners. Such ones have ignored the fact that the win- 

 ners are in a small minority, and that the ways and means 

 of the losers in paying expenses is of quite as much im- 

 portance as are those of the winners. Forest and 

 Stream advocated a reduction in stakes to an amount 

 which a club would have a reasonable certainty of reim- 

 bursement from its receipts, and also a corresponding re- 

 duction in entry and starting fees. The success of the recent 

 chicken trials of the Continental Club, run financially on 

 moderate lines, was an object lesson of the success of 

 them from a financial standpoint. The Continental Club 

 had a good balance left after paying all expenses. Field 

 trials are all right in themselves, but they need some re- 

 adjusting in practice and also a reduction in the prize list 

 and entrance fees. 



Bull-Terrier Club of America's Meeting 1 . 



At a special meeting of the executive committee of the 

 Bull-Terrier Club of America, held Oct. 12 at the Farmers' 

 Deposit National Bank of Pittsburg, there were present: 

 Mr. John Moorhead, Mr. Given, Mr. Higginson and Mr. 

 Brereton. 



The meeting was held for the purpose of issuing a 

 formal protest against the anti-cropping question which is 

 now being agitated by the A. K. C. 



The secretary, upon motion carried to that effect, was 

 requested to solicit the co-operation of all the breeds that 

 are cropped at present and to request the various clubs to 

 enter their written protest against the movement. 



Pittsburg, Pa., Oct. 12.— To the American Kennel Club, 

 New York City. Gentlemen: As breeders and fanciers of 

 bull-terriers we would respectfully remonstrate against 

 the proposal to disqualify from competition at the shows 

 held under your rules bull-terriers and other dogs born 

 after a certain date that are cropped. 



Our reasons are: That bull-terriers, having been cropped 

 for many years — in fact ever since the breed has become 

 a fixed one — in consequence it was unnecessary to 

 pay particular attention to the ear natural, nor has there 

 been any such recognized, and that natural ears appear 

 of every known description, from the semi-erect bat-wiDg 

 to the pendulous ear of the beagle. To disqualify now 

 would be to upset the work of seventy-five or one hundred 

 years. 



The fact that the English Kennel Club now have this 

 rule in force is an added reason why it should be let 

 alone here for the present, as they have yet to establish 

 the ear before even breeding to produce it; if the same 

 task be attempted here there will in all likelihood be two 

 specimens of natural ear evolved, giving rise to endless 

 confusion and wrangling, as it is not likely that all fan- 

 ciers and breeders will adopt. the same ear as desirable to 

 breed to. 



Still further, it is our opinion that in a few generations, 

 if cropping be persisted in, nature, aided by judicious 

 cropping, will stop reverting to such useless and unsightly 

 appendages as most bull-terriers' ears naturally are. We 

 therefore petition that further action in this matter be 

 postponed for the present. 



The Bull-Terrier Club op America. 



The Champion Stake. 



Sherrill's Ford, Catawba County, N. C— Editor For- 

 est and Stream: I was much interested with your good, 

 common-sense article in last issue of the champion stake, 

 and sincerely hope it will not be spoiled or marred, as 

 mentioned as a possible outcome. 



While at Norris, Man., Mr. Avent asked me if I was in 

 favor of a. handler's club being formed for the purpose of 

 holding a champion stake. 



My answer was in the negative, giving the reasons, 

 'first, that I did not believe handlers should belong to 

 field trial clubs, much less on the governing committee, 

 as in my opinion it was not fair for competitors to sit in 

 judgment over each other, where the case need be. 



Secondly, that Messrs. Dexter and Titus were already 

 getting up a champion stake and had issued circulars to 



that effect, and the way things were looming up in its 

 favor, it would certainly be a "go." 



The next thing I saw was a letter from Mr. Avent, in 

 the Field, in which he says, if I remember rightly, all the 

 handlers except one are in favor of a handlers' club, to 

 hold champion stakes, and to the effect that wj have had 

 a succesful meeting, at which all the handlers were pres- 

 ent. 



I for one received no notification of this meeting and 

 the only two I have seen since were also not notified : 

 but apart from this, what is the object of this No. 2 pro- 

 posed champion stake, with the previous knowledge that 

 Mr. Titus was already striving to obtain to the best of his 

 ability, both through the papers and by private corre^ 

 spondence, the advice and co-operation of all those inter- 

 ested in field trials to bring into operation such a stake. '. 

 hardly think we need or could sustain two champion 

 stakes with the present number of slated events, and sin- 

 cerely hope everything will be amicably arranged and 

 dissolve into one good solid stake, with two-hour heats 

 and a cup at the head, and I feel certain my friend Nat. 

 Nesbitt (secretary of Handlers' Club) will agree with me 

 in this. 



While speaking of champion stakes I believe I am cor- 

 rect in stating that the pointers Rip Rap and Jingo (first 

 cousins) are the only two living field trial champions on 

 this continent. I was very much disappointed this morn- 

 ing, when reading the entries for the Eastern Subscrip- 

 tion Stake, to note that neither of the owners of the three 

 pointers, that we read so much about last spring under 

 the heading of "Which is Best?" have made an entry. 



Here is an opportunity to prove "Which was best," but 

 perhaps they are waiting for the proposed champion 

 stake. a E. Buckle. 



POINTS AND FLUSHES. 



A marvelous instance of canine scent and sagacity 

 which occurred in Vienna last week is told by one of the 

 Chronicle's correspondents. A Viennese, named Kohn, 

 traveling in Transylvania, took his dog Caro with him, a 

 large animal resembling the Danish breed of hounds 

 popular in Austro-Hungary. He missed him at Klausen- 

 burg, and after ineffectual efforts to find him gave him 

 up as lost. Herr Kohn reached home on Tuesday even- 

 ing, and on Friday evening he was startled by hearing 

 Caro barking violently at the door. On opening it the 

 dog rushed in exhausted, but joyful. He ran alone 450 

 English miles in three days. — British Fancier, 



The want of a good and reliable Kennel Registry and 

 Assurance Association has, no doubt, been keenly felt by 

 many a dog owner who has had the misfortune to be de- 

 prived of the society of a favorite canine companion 

 either by loss or accident. The want, however, is not 

 likely to be any longer felt, as it is fully supplied by the 

 foundation of the Pioneer Kennel Registry and Assurance 

 Association of Manchester, who, upon the registration of 

 a dog at their offices, will supply the owner with a metal 

 label bearing a number and their address. The finder of 

 a lost dog will, therefore, if he is honest, communicate 

 with the manager, Mr. T. H. Cowper, who will pay all ex- 

 penses incurred for the recovery of the animal, and return 

 it to the owner. The society also undertakes to pay com- 

 pensation to the owner for the loss of his dog when going 

 to or from a show; and to defend actions for dog bites 

 upon special terms. In fact, it appears that the existence 

 of Mr. Cowper's Association has only to become known 

 among dog breeders for it to be well supported. The 

 idea is as original as it appears to be both sound and. feas- 

 ible. — Stock-Keeper (England), 



The number of the Eoyal Natural History, July 15, de- 

 votes all its pages to the history, origin and description of 

 the domestic dog in all his divisions into breeds, besides 

 treating of his anatomical peculiarities, of his aboriginal 

 ancestors, his relation to the wild dog and his congeners 

 of the wilderness. The number is quite fully illustrated. 

 To tho3e who are interested specially in dogs the number 

 abounds in information, and is not without profit to those 

 whose interest in man's best friend is but passing. Fred- 

 erick Warne & Go., 3 Cooper Union, New York. 



Mr. Simon C. Bradley, well known as a sportsman, was 

 recently elected to the offbe of first selectman of the town 

 of Fairfield, Conn. After filling so satisfactorily the many 

 difficult positions in the canine world, and thus deriving 

 the higher education, the office of selectman should be 

 very easy. 



While angling in a secluded glen the writer some days 

 ago witnessed a curious combination of poaching and 

 natural history. The facts are as follows: A hill shep- 

 herd, in destroying a litter of foxes, took it into his head, 

 to rear one as a pet. He did so, and the animal has not 

 only become very tame, but is a most useful ally. It and 

 a collie hunting together kill rabbits to a miracle. They 

 work very much in the same way as do lurchers. The 

 collie goes out and hunts the rabbits among the fern and 

 heather of the braes or the rushes and long grasses of 

 the stacks, while Reynard all the time sneaks about the 

 holes and picks them up as they come in. They under- 

 stand their respective parts perfectly. The collie seems to 

 know that it is not his business to kill and the fox is never 

 under the slightest temptation to bolt out and give chase. 

 —Fall Mall Gazette. 



A meeting of the Metropolitan Kennel Club was called 

 to meet at Delmonico's on the evening of the 31st inst,, 

 for the purpose of adopting a constitution and perfecting 

 the organization. 



R. B. Morgan, Gibson Wells, Tenn., offers broken setter 

 and pointer. The Bandle Arms Co., Cincinnati, offer 

 broken setter and pointer. Mr. F. L. Cheney, Pittsfield, 

 Mass., offers Irish setter. J. H. Miller, Christiana, Pa., 

 offers rabbit dogs. Fieles & Bro., Christiana, Pa., offer 

 coon dogs, trained setters and pointers, fox and rabbit 

 hounds. High Hill Kennel, Port Jefferson, L. I., offers 

 trained hunting dogs. Mr. C. Farquhar, New York, 

 offers St. Bernard pupjnes. 



Mr. C. E. Buckle informs us that his P. O. address is 

 Sherrill's Ford, Catawba Co., N. C. ; railroad station nearest 

 him is Catawba, W. N. C. R. R. He has both Rip Rap 

 and Delhi with him. 



Mr. Washington A. Coster intends to devote next week 

 to grouse and woodcock shooting in Connecticut with 

 Messrs. Simon C. Bradley and F. Hodgman, 



