that man be called a good sportsman who thus wantonly destroys his own sport. Indeed, good sportsmen seldom ride on the line of the tail-hounds.

THE POINTER.

THIS breed of dogs originally came from Spain, but has now been naturalised in this country, and of late years great attention has been paid to preserve the race in all its purity. The pointer has a short head, a broad forehead, great extension of nose and nostrils, short legs, a square back, and a circular form of body; it is remarkably strong across the loins, and in the hinder quarters.

The colours most esteemed in these dogs, are the white and the brown, or liver-coloured. The Spanish pointer is remarkable for the aptitude and facility with which it receives instructions, and may be said to be almost self-taught; he rarely misses his game, and his perseverance and patience peculiarly adapt him for the recovery of wounded birds; for snipe-shooting, this dog is valuable above all others. On the other hand, the English pointer requires very great care and attention in breaking and training, but will undergo much more fatigue he is generally used to find partridges and pheasants. In disposition they are docile and tractable, but excessively timid.

is

No pointer can be considered well taught, and consequently useful, unless he be staunch to bird, dog, and gun: this is to say, as soon as a bird or covey scented, he must stand; when the dogs in advance stand, the other must point, or, in other words, back

instantly; and he must not stir from his own point at the rising of a bird or the firing of the gun, provided the game is neither sprung nor started at which he made his original point.

THE SETTER

Was originally bred from the Spanish pointer, and the largest breed of the English spaniels.

By considerable care and training, it has become the most valuable of our hunting dogs; being at once hardy, nimble, and handsome; possessed of the most exquisite scent and sagacity, while its colour is of a most pleasing variety, and having a disposition alike affable, humble, and affectionate.

The manner in which these dogs seek their game, is thus beautifully described by Somerville :

"When autumn smiles, all beauteous in decay,

And paints each chequered grove with various hues,
My setter ranges in the mud-shorn fields,
His nose in air erect; from ridge to ridge
Panting he bounds; his quartered ground divides
In equal intervals, nor careless leaves
One inch untried; at length the tainted gales
His nostrils wide inhale; quick joy elates
His beating heart, which, awed by discipline
Severe, he dares not own, but cautious creeps
Low covering, step by step, at last attains
His proper distance: where he stops at once,
And points with his instructive nose upon
The trembling prey."

These dogs will frequently take to the water after game, and will fetch it out without hurting a feather;

whereas the pointer, and especially such as are thorough-bred, always avoid it. Over a rough courtry, and in cold frosty weather, when the ground is very hard, the setter has a very great advantage in having his feet much better defended than those of the pointer.

THE WATER SPANIEL

ls in very high estimation where water-fowl abound; and in wild-duck shooting, he is absolutely indispensable. These animals are remarkably docile, and this is owing, doubtless, to their natural attachment to

man.

It is highly essential that they should be broken in early, and should be taught to obey by word of command. When well reared, they are most indefatigable in their pursuit of the fowl, and are most invaluable to all who are fond of water-fowl sporting. Many kinds of dogs will not endure correction, but become sulky and timorous; this beautiful animal, however he may feel disposed towards strangers, is not to be daunted in his affection, even under blows and ill-usage, from his master. When trained in infancy they are remarkably quick, and need but little beating.

The attachment of a water spaniel was peculiarly displayed in one of those bloody scenes which were frequent during the French Revolution.

Shortly before the termination of Robespierre's dreaded authority, a revolutionary tribunal in one of the northern departments had accused Mons. R., a magistrate, and a man greatly beloved, and found him

guilty of joining in a conspiracy for the overthrow of their power. This gentleman had a water spaniel which he had reared and kept for upwards of twelve years, during which period it had seldom quitted his person. On being cast into prison, his family were driven into exile, his servants dismissed, his house destroyed, and even many of his friends were obliged to seek safety by flight. In the silence of a living tomb he was left to pine in thought, under the iron scourge of a tyrant, whose respite from blood was but to gain, by delay, some additional horror; and who, if he extended life to those whom his wantonness had prescribed even until death became a prayer, it was only to tantalise them with the blessing of murder, when he imagined he could more effectually torture them with the curse of existence.

This faithful dog was with him when he was first seized, but was refused admission into the prison. He was seen to return often to the door, but found it shut; he took refuge with a neighbour of his late master, who received him. But (that posterity may judge clearly of the times in which men existed in those turbulent and unsettled times,) it must be added, that this man received the poor dog tremblingly and in secret, lest his humanity for his friend's dog should bring him to the scaffold. Every day, at the same hour, the dog returned to the prison-door, but was still refused admittance; he however constantly spent some time there. Such unremitting fidelity at last won the affections of the porter of the prison, and the dog was at length allowed to enter. His joy at seeing his master was unbounded; his master's was not less; it was difficult to separate them; but the honest gaoler, fearing for himself, carried the dog out of the prison, and he returned to his place of retreat.