t. I remember a particular spot in a
certain field that early in the season constantly held birds. A young dog
I then possessed never approached it afterwards without drawing upon it
most carefully, though he had not found there for months. At first I had
some difficulty in preventing the "draw" from becoming a "point."

148. I have elsewhere observed that fast dogs, which give most trouble in
breaking, usually turn out best: now if you think for a moment you will
see the reason plainly. A young dog does not ultimately become first-rate
because he is wild and headstrong, and regardless of orders, but because
his speed and disobedience arise from his great energies,--from his
fondness for the sport, from his longing to inhale the exhilarating scent
and pursue the flying game. It is the possession of these qualities that
makes him, in his anxious state of excitement, blind to your signals and
deaf to your calls. These obviously are qualities that, _under good
management_,[26] lead to great excellence and superiority,--that make one
dog do the work of two. But they are not qualities sought for by an idle
or incompetent breaker.

149. These valuable qualities in the fast dog, must, however, be
accompanied with a searching nose. It is not enough that a dog be always
apparently hunting, that is to say, always on the gallop--his nose should
always be hunting. When this is the case, and you may be pretty certain it
is if, as he crosses the breeze, his nose has intuitively a bearing to
windward, you need not fear that he will travel too fast, or not repay you
ultimately for the great extra trouble caused by his high spirits and
ardor for the sport.

150. You have been recommended invariably to enter every field by the
leeward side. This you can generally accomplish with ease, if you commence
your day's beat to leeward. Should circumstances oblige you to enter a
field on the windward side, make it a rule, as long as your dog continues
a youngster, to call him to "heel," and walk down the field with him until
you get to the opposite side--the leeward--then hunt him regularly up to
windward.

151. I have read wondrous accounts of dogs, who, without giving themselves
the trouble of quartering their ground, would walk straight up to the
birds if there were any in the field. It has never been my luck, I do not
say to have possessed such marvellous animals, but even to have been
favored with a sight of them. I therefore am inclined