119--you are
alternately urging and restraining him, so as to make him advance at a
suitable pace. From his previous education, not being flurried by any
undue dread of the whip, he will be enabled to give his undisturbed
attention, and devote all his faculties to follow unerringly the
retreating bird. But from inexperience he may wander from the haunt. On
perceiving this, bring him, by signals, back to the spot where he was
apparently last aware of the scent. He will again hit it off. If you view
the bird ever so far ahead, on no account run. I hope you will at length
observe it lie down. Head it, if possible, and strike it with your whip,
if you think you will be unable to seize it with your hand. Endeavor to
prevent its fluttering away;--it is too soon to subject the youngster to
such a severe trial of his nerves and steadiness. Then,--having put the
poor creature out of its misery, by piercing its skull, or rapping its
head against your gun, as before--180--show your dog the gratifying prize
which your combined exertions have gained.

211. Should he unluckily have caught sight of the running bird, and, in
spite of all your calls, have rushed forward and seized it, you ought to
have proceeded as described in 221. Clearly, however, you would not have
dragged the dog back to the place where he "down charged," but merely to
the spot from which he had made his unlawful rush. If the bird had been
very active, it would have been far better to have fired at it a second
time--while it was running--than to have incurred the risk of making your
dog unsteady by a wild pursuit. Suppose that it was not winged, but rose
again on your approaching it, and fluttered off,--a hard trial for the
young dog,--you must, however, have made him bear it, and obey your loud
command to "drop,"--you would--or should--have taken another shot, and
have proceeded in exactly the same manner as if this had been your first
find--179, 180.

212. As the wounded bird was to windward of the dog, the course to follow
was obvious,--it was plain sailing; but the case would have varied greatly
if the dog had been to windward. Had you pursued the usual plan, he must
have roaded the bird by the "foot;" and the danger is, that in allowing
him to do so, you may create in him the evil habit of hunting with his
nose close to the ground, which is, above all things, to be deprecated.
You have another mode--you can "lift" the dog--I suppose you know the
meaning of t