UPLAND SHOOTING. 
345 
rous, principally lives by the exquisite sensibility of his olfac¬ 
tory organs. If the eating of flesh really have such an effect on 
sporting dogs, it can only do so, when it has been taken in such 
quantities as to vitiate the secretions of the body; and in this 
way the pituitary mucous secretion of the nasal sinuses may 
themselves become somewhat tainted. 
“ A mixture of animal and vegetable substances is therefore the 
most proper general food for dogs, and that which best agrees 
with the analogies of their nature; but the proportions of each 
are best determined by the exertions of the body.” 
I do not, I confess, lay any stress whatever on the argument 
drawn from the natural state of the canince, or from the habits of 
the fox, since it is too notorious to require comment, that animals 
in a high state of cultivation, not only acquire new wants as well 
as new habits, but lose many of their natural qualities and in¬ 
stincts. And I am thoroughly convinced, that the habitual 
feeding of dogs on flesh has a tendency to injure their powers 
of scenting; and I believe the reason why it does so, is precisely 
because it docs “ vitiate the secretions of the body” generally, 
and therefore does affect “ the nasal sinuses.” 
1 have observed many times, that dogs fed largely, even on 
perfectly fresh animal food, particularly in a raw state, become 
intolerably offensive in odor; and when this is the case it is cer¬ 
tain that the secretions of the body are vitiated, and probable, 
moreover, that the health of the animal is in some sort affected 
likewise. 
That flesh is necessary to dogs, I will not, however, deny; 
and it is my opinion that, during the dead seasons of the year 
when there is no field work to be done, except exercise, flesh 
may be given not only without detriment, but with advantage. 
Raw meat tends, unquestionably, to give a dog both strength 
and ferocity; ant 1 the latter is so nearly allied to endurance, 
and what is commonly called pluch, that we can scarcely encour¬ 
age the one quality, apart from the others. 
I would therefore feed dogs, while getting them into condition, 
on flesh—and I would not even object to raw horse-flesh for that 
