20 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
alacrity of a “wet fuze.” He uses at the same time, by 
way of shot, certain pellets of lead, consisting of goose 
and mustard shot, mixed indiscriminately, with a small 
sprinkling of slugs, pebbles, and broken nails. Yet, with 
all these disadvantages, the rustic fowler accomplishes mi- 
racles, and after disposing of a portion of his spoils to his 
less fortunate rival, returns home at evening covered with 
feathers and glory. 
If, indeed, his war-worn weapon holds, in many cases, 
its proprietor in suspense, by its habit of hanging fire , it 
does explode at last, and rarely misses its aim. The wea- 
pon, like poor human nature itself, has its faults as well as 
its virtues, which serve to counterbalance each other. 
Among the most prominent of the former is a vicious 
propensity to recoil, to upset the youthful musketeer, and 
in suffering the charge to escape in about equal propor- 
tions at the breech and at the muzzle; one half of which in 
fact singes the eyebrows of the shooter, and the remainder 
the feathers of the shootee. So also the little beast which 
accompanies him, has its good as well as its evil qualities, 
and although it scampers through the bushes without the 
direction of either training, reason, or instinct, it often 
contrives to stumble upon the covey or the quarry, which 
the nose of the more systematic pointer had not detected. 
One reason, perhaps, which may be assigned for the dif- 
ferent success of these two classes of sportsmen, is that the 
less scrupulous one is anxious to destroy as much life as 
possible, and believing that all is fair in sporting as in war 
and politics, he fires into a full covey before they have 
taken wing, and, in his desire to husband his scanty stock 
of ammunition, generally contrives to creep so near, that 
he kills a large portion of them at a single shot. He does 
not scruple in taking advantage of any and all means, fair 
or foul, that may aid him in the attainment of his ends. He 
has no respect, moreover, to the factitious rules of sports- 
men, for the preservation of game, and believing that one 
bird in the bag is worth a score in the bush, he slays with- 
out distinction both young and old. But the more scienti- 
fic sportsman observes certain legal rules, and obeys those 
nice restrictions established by his craft, and shoots only 
at proper times, and even then scorns to fire except at a 
bird upon the wing, and carefully avoids striking any 
that are not in season. Many species of game which 
would scarcely escape from our rustic friend, would be dis- 
regarded by him as unworthy of his aim. 
And here, we have a few remarks to make in relation to 
Sporting Dogs, which may be properly introduced in this 
connexion. The breed of valuable animals of this de- 
scription with us, has been much improved during the last 
three or four years, owing to the importation of them from 
England and Spain, Valuable animals are annually increas- 
ing, while those of a spurious kind are in equal proportion 
disappearing. The hue and cry raised against poor Tray 
last summer, about the period of the dog-day panic, ope- 
rated severely against the more ordinary species of ani- 
mals. Poor Tray and his brethren being unapprised of 
the proscriptive edict which had issued against them, and 
their natural guardians taking no precautions for their pre- 
servation, it naturally followed, that they were kidnapped 
by the cart-load, and despatched by the axe or the bow- 
string, without the merciful interposition of jury and ver- 
dict. They were adjudged guilty, (by every brutal boy 
in the street,) forasmuch as they were taken at large, with- 
out the specified collar, and within the prohibited period, 
and were executed without further ceremony. Dogs of a 
better description, on the contrary, were carefully pre- 
served from the snare laid for them, and by being deprived 
of their liberty, escaped with their lives. 
And now, when the “ dog-star” no longer rages, and the 
mercury falls below cipher, one would naturally suppose 
that this persecuted race might enjoy an interregnum of 
quiet. But poor Tray is unfortunately considered a de- 
sirable subject for medical investigation and surgical skill, 
and is (we are led to think) ambushed, scalped, electrified, 
anatomized, galvanized, and we know not what else, when- 
ever his evil fortune throws him into the power of the enemy. 
We warn ye all, therefore, Dash, Rake, Duff, Tray, Towser, 
Lion, Argus, Pluto, and the rest, to keep “a bright eye,” 
and beware of all persons having a medical look, or you 
will be conveyed away by ruthless hands, and immolated 
upon the board of some medical Moloch. These inquir- 
ing physiologists are no respecters of persons, and will as 
willingly submit to the edge of their scalpel or to their galva- 
nic batteries, the muscles and nerves of the sagacious setter 
and pointer, “ the wiry terrier gaunt and grim, and greyhound 
with his length of limb,” as those of the veriest vagabond 
of the kennel. If, therefore, ye do not desire to become 
involuntary martyrs to the cause of medical science, be 
wary and vigilant, for it will require all your vigilance of 
eye and scent, to baffle the designs of your foe. If in the 
course of your daily rambles you encounter any person 
with a Bell or a Wistar, or any other volume rich in ana- 
tomical lore, in his hand, avoid him as you would the Cho- 
lera, or by his fascinations he will lead you on to your un- 
doing. 
Poor Tray! thou art indeed a noble and most affection- 
ate animal, and wherever thy regards have been once be- 
stowed, there they will remain, throughout all persecution 
and all change. His attachment is often more stable and 
true than woman’s love or brother’s friendship. Human 
faith often changes to treachery ; human promises and pro- 
testations often prove to be but hollow words and deceitful 
