94 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
him, on or just before the trigger, and the exertion re- 
quired to surmount the fence, would give impulse to his 
finger, and thus discharge the gun. I have also seen guns 
discharged by leaping from a fence, when the trigger would 
strike a small twig, while in the act of jumping. All of 
this should be avoided, and it only requires forethought 
and system to lessen these dangers; therefore ascertain at 
every fence if your gun is uncocked — and then you may 
either gripe the gun at the breech with the right hand, and 
put it over the fence first, and use your left for the purpose 
of climbing; or place your gun first on the opposite side of 
the fence before you get over; and it would be well when 
you attempt a post and rail fence, always to go to the right, 
but close to the post, — you then have a solid place for 
your feet, and a good purchase for your left hand. I. 
POINTER AND SETTER DOGS, 
OS, WHICH ARE BEST. 
There is a great diversity of opinion, among Sports- 
men, in regard to the choice of Dogs, — and this arises, not 
so much from the superiority of one breed over the 
other, as from fancy or habit. The relation which a Dog 
bears to his master, confirms the opinions of the latter 
as to the merits of that particular breed; and no argument 
scarcely, or circumstance, will influence him to make a 
change, or alter his feelings — so firmly are his opinions 
settled by the continual intercourse with his Dog, and the 
pleasures enjoyed from his services: hence the tenacity 
with which some adhere to the Pointer, while others re- 
gard the Setter as the most superior Dog. 
A man is apt to form his judgment from the qualities of 
the first Dog he owns; and, as this may prove good or bad, 
he accordingly approves or condemns the breed. Should 
this Dog be only of mediocrity, his good parts are admired 
and magnified, — while his bad qualities, owing to the at- 
tachment and charitable feelings of his master, are over- 
looked or suppressed, and being but a novice, he is not 
acquainted with the requisites which constitute a first rate 
Dog, or look beyond the qualities of his Dog for greater 
perfection. He recollects his more early essays after 
game, and the gratification he derived at the first point his 
Dog made, — the admiration of his noble propensities in 
quartering the fields, and drawing the game, — rthe infatua- 
tion excited by killing the first bird, — and the bag of game 
produced by his energy and the instrumentality of his 
faithful companion: all these rivet his affections on his 
Dog, and no matter how much the qualities of other Dogs 
may be praised by their masters, he feels convinced that 
his is no way inferior. All of these feelings grow out of first 
impressions, which proverbially are called “the strong- 
est;” and should this Dog have been either a Setter or 
a Pointer, his future choice of that breed to which this 
animal belonged, to the latest day of his life, is influenced 
by the retrospection of early enjoyment, so much is judg- 
ment biased by attachment. 
It may be well to remark, however, that the superiority 
of one breed of Dogs over the other, may be tested accord- 
ing to the description of country to be hunted over, and 
may properly be divided thus: — In open, dry, and moun- 
tainous districts, especially in a warm climate, preference 
may be given to the Pointer Dog; — but in low, wet, cold, 
and woodland countries, the Setter is the most desirable. 
The former, by reason of the slight covering of hair, and 
thinness of skin, is not so easily excited by thirst, and can 
withstand fatigue during warm days longer than the Set- 
ter, — but the latter being covered by much more hair, is 
protected from wet, cold, and briars; his feet are thickly 
matted with hair, and are not liable to be injured by hard 
or sharp substances protruding from the earth. In conse- 
quence of this thick covering, his thirst returns fre- 
quently, which makes it necessary to hunt in the vicinity 
of water. This also more particularly accounts for this 
animal’s fondness for water, into which, at all times and 
seasons, he shows a willingness to enter; his covering 
creates fever; this thirst; and as fleas are generally in num- 
bers on him, his fondness for the water is more the effect 
of necessity than of natural inclination. 
Under these circumstances, then, I think the Setter 
better adapted for hunting in the United States; the geo- 
graphical part of it is more suited to his constitution and 
qualities, and that portion of game usually sought after, 
being snipe, woodcock, and partridge, and which are 
mostly found in low-lands and thickets, that, abstractedly , 
from a choice of fancy, it appears to me, to say the least, 
every Sportsman should be provided with one Setter 
Dog. 
The Pointer was not used for Sporting purposes until 
a much later period than the Setter Dog, and it appears 
was not introduced into England until the beginning 
of the last century. Indeed, the Setter is sujiposed to 
have had its origin in England, and is said by some authors 
to have been produced, by crossing the Bloodhound with 
the Land Spaniel, or Springer; while others contend their 
production to have arisen between the Newfoundland Dog 
and the Spanish Pointer. The latter, however, is the most 
probable. But all this is so involved in uncertainty, that it is 
given as conjecture. The purity of the Pointer, however, 
