The herald., 1898-09-04

ing of dogs mucous membrane by any,
thing so small is remarkable, what do you
think of the dog knowing not only the diff
| ference between dead bird and we'll one
! but the difference between one just killed
and one just wounded? Yet he will Us
tnquish between one and the other almost
| instantly, and his actions leave no room
for doubt on the subject. Pointing a new
bird with dead one in his mopth is con-
sdered a good trick for any dog And so
it Is, though there are many that can do It,
But running in on a dead one just fallen
and when within full scent of that chang
ing motion altogether and going off on the
scent of a wounded one that had fallen be-
side it and Is running off through the brush
Is much more OF a trick
Quite as remarkable IS the quickness with
which a dog knows when all the birds have
risen, and even when a sirgle bird has gone
! One would think enough scent would re-
main for two or three minutes, at least, to
| deceive a dog. And enough does linger to
deceive many dogs, but good one. with
plenty of experience, knows almost in a sec
/ ond whether the bird has gone or Is still
| lying in hiding. He may stop. but there
will be some motion of the tail or uncer-
tainty in the eye or action that shows un-
erringly that he Is in doubt. When the
eastern quail rises the whole bevy bursts
from cover. Ike so many blasts fired by an
electric wire Not once IN many hundred
times does single bird remain. At least.
It used to be so when I hunted them. The
Cog breaks his point instanter, even If you
don't shoot. His action shows certainty
that all the birds are gone. But once saw
a dog stand immovabe after a bevy had
risen and we had shot three birds from il.
He never moved muscle and refused TO go
CT to retrieve the fallen ones. And there
was another bird still lying. How did he
know il instantly amid the scent that must
have remained a second or two from the
rest Of the bevy?
Dogs bred from lines Of well-trained hunt
ers are almost broken by nature 1t used
20 be quite a task TO break most dogs nd
there are still some of fine strains that re-
Gure a great deal CT correction and bound
less patience to restrain their eXuberance
Of spirits Some are determined to cha Sc
every bird that springs, while others that
can be held down on bird will risk any
amount Of thrashng for the temporary
luxury Of chasing rabbit that they know
they never can catch. Under all circum-
stances, It takes patience and caution to
keep them in good training. and their mas
ter must practice plenty Of self-denial. even
10 letting many chances 20 shoot go by
for the sake Of keeping the dogs in order.
Many seem incapable Of king dog mind,
while others are so bent on getting a bird
ahead Of some ether fool who wants to
mako record that they will let the dog do
nyFh!ng. The result is that Of the many
eblooded dogs one sees, more than half
are not worth their mush except 20 hold
down the doormat. But a well-bred one.
well trained by a patient and intelligent
master, is the finest specimen OF the brute
creation and a long ways ahead of many
man In all that is lovable and worthy Of ad-
miration.
Ut all birds, the pinnated grouse, or prai-
rie chicken, lies best to the dog when