67 ? 
which are down. Seek dead is an easy process if they are 
dead ; but, if birds are winged and run, your dog will require 
great indulgence and encouragement in footing them out, till 
experience teaches him to distinguish the fail of a wounded 
bird from that of one which is not. If he make it out, 
caress him with seek dead! good dog ! &c., laying the bird 
before his nose and feet; but never permitting him to mouth 
or pull the feathers off it. The perfecting a dog in this 
branch of education, which enables him to road out the scat¬ 
tered birds of a covey through all their doublings, adds more 
to the pleasure of a really scientific votary of the trigger 
than perhaps any other, and, therefore, should b z patiently and 
'particularly attended to. When we have got two or more 
so far in their course, we may proceed to hunt them in com¬ 
pany, and learn them to back, which will not be difficult, if 
they are decidedly subject to the take heed—down ! Some 
are in the practice of making their dogs back up the dog 
which has the point : we prefer having them to drop and 
lie till he makes out his birds, which he is entitled to do, 
and ought to show the same respect in turn. Dogs are not 
exempt from jealousy, and often break through the rules 
when a rival is at hand. When in company they should 
hunt in an independent manner, crossing and quartering 
their ground in opposite courses, and not following at the 
tail of one another. When a dog is found to be slowish in 
this respect, he should be hunted with a strange one, or 
alone ; he may thus be made to act for himself. 
If in following up this system, we have brought them to 
have a gallant range, quarter their ground properly, point, 
back, lie-charge, and foot out their birds correctly, we are in 
the high road to perfection ; this, however, is not to be at¬ 
tained in a few weeks, or months, but is the reward of 
continued care and perseverance. But whatever rules may 
be laid down, much must be left to the common sense and 
