cker than the
sober, convenient "road" of a setter. As his experience increases he will
thus acquire the valuable knowledge of the position of his game--he will
lead you to the centre of a covey, or what is of greater consequence--as
grouse spread--to the centre of a pack,--instead of allowing himself to be
attracted to a flank by some truant from the main body,--and thus get you
a good double shot, and enable you effectually to separate the birds--he
will, moreover, become watchful, and sensible of his distance from game--a
knowledge all important, and which, be it remarked, he never could gain in
turnips, or potatoes, or any thick cover.

198. There is another and yet stronger reason why you should not consider
it a rule always to head your young dog at his point. You may--although at
first it seems an odd caution to give--make him too stanch. This, to be
sure, signifies less with partridges than with most birds; but if you have
ever seen your dog come to a fixed point, and there, in spite of all your
efforts, remain provokingly immovable--plainly telling you of the vicinity
of birds, but that you must find them out for yourself--your admiration of
his steadiness has, I think, by no means reconciled you to the
embarrassing position in which it has placed you. I have often witnessed
this vexatious display of stanchness, although the owner cheered on the
dog in a tone loud enough to alarm birds two fields off.

199. A keeper will sometimes praise his dog for such stanchness; but it is
a great fault, induced probably by over-severity for former rashness,--and
the more difficult to be cured, if the animal is a setter, from the
crouching position he often naturally assumes when pointing.

200. I here desire to warn you against the too common error of fancying
that a young dog is making false points if birds do not get up directly.
They may have taken leg-bail, and thus have puzzled him in his
inexperience. Dogs not cowed by punishment will, after a little hunting,
seldom make false points, while they are unfatigued. To a certainty they
will not draw upon a false point for any distance: therefore, never punish
what is solely occasioned by over-caution. Your doing so would but
increase the evil. Self-confidence and experience are the only cures for a
fault that would be a virtue if not carried to excess. Even a good dog
will occasionally make a point at larks from over-caution when birds are
wild; but see the first note to