The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-06-06
THE DOG AND THE SCENT.
An Exhibition OF Trailing Power
That May Wen BE Considered
Unique.

The power Of good dogs nose va,
ries. On dry day when the grass
stems are covered with fine dust and
the tiny particles have settled on weeds
and briars it is much decreased. The
dust gets into the nostrils and causes
sneezing, and the mucus deadens the
nerves. sportsmen say then that the
scent viii not lie, says the New York
Sun.
On muggy day, when vegetation is
damp, the scent holds for a surprising
time and a pointer or setter has no
trouble in following. Dogs are often
puzzled by its strength and Will fol-
low a trail that is too old to produce
anything.
On such days dogs with highly sensi-
tive nostrils have been known to work
cautiously along such trail, believing
the bevy TO be within few yards and
finally come to a rigid stand, though
the birds had passed that way an hour
before and were then a mile away.
This was proved by the dogs sticking
steadily to the scent and finally rout-
ing them out.
Mary, a white and black setter gyp
owned in Lafayette county, Ark, gave
an exhibition Of following power not
long ago that is thought to be unique.
She was out with d. " Lewis, a sport
ing planter, who owns her, beating the
edge Of field that had green spring
grass mingled with the old and fur
nished a good deal of cover.
There had been slight rain about
daylight and everything was soggy.
She came hard down in a buttouhook
point, her nose within foot of a clump
Of grass as big as a bushel basket.
Lewis went forward and kicked the
cIump and single cock quail flushed.
He waited on the bird until IL was
30 yards away, missed It With the right
barrel and knocked it down with the
left. The quail fell on a long weaving
slant, showing that twas only winged,
and Mary was sent forward to get it.
The birds course had been parallel
with the edge Of the field and 50 yards
away.
She did not find it where ii fell and
turned toward the woods. She fol-
lowed to The rail fence. whose corners
were grown up in briars. and went
down it. working her way through the
briars for quite 100 yards Then she
struck off into the woods.
Lewis climbed the fence and went
after her The ground was covered
with wet, dead leaves which had lasted |
through the winter. TWO hundred I
yards in, d small branch or creek was
struck. The dog went down one bank /
a little way and lost the trail.
Crossing, She ran up and down the
other bank and Struck the trail again, 4
taking it up 20 feet from the water.
She was much excited by this time and
was going fast. The man went with
her, much more interested in her work
than in getting the bird.
The trail ran out into the woods.
curved, came back TO the creek. crossed
IT again and then went to the field, en-
tering it a quarter of mile from its
point Of exit A hundred yards from
the fence Mary stopped with her nose
within an inch Of the ground.
Going forward Lewis found her to be
pointing hole in the ground bigger
around than his arm, made originally
by mouse ard widened by rains. He
lid not care 10 stick his hand in it.
since for all he knew it might harbor
i snake, yet he did not wish the dog
% 60 unrewarded
Finally he pulled on a glove and
hrust in his arm to the shoulder. He
ook hold Of the quail and dragged it
nut Then he examined it. The bird
rad been wing-tipped only, which is
o say that the extreme point Of its
light wing had been broken by a sim
lie pellet
Lewis did a queer thing for a shot
sun man. He showed The bird to Mary.
.ubbing it back and forth across SO
hat she might get the scent. which
vas TO her sweeter ,han altar Of roses. II
Then he broke a toothpicz in two and
nth some thread bound it to the bro
en bone. joining The ends neatly and
il round and round, bringing
Be thread down between the feathers.
He made a neat job Of it and threw
he quail in air. 1t buzzed away as If
othing was the matter. If the tooth
ick held for few days. aud doubtless