bird in every direction, even for a good half hour, if you
can encourage your dog to hunt so long. If, indeed, you see him flag, and
get wearied and dispirited, gradually bring him close, but to leeward of
the spot where the bird lies, in order to make him "point dead" and be
rewarded for all his diligence by finding it himself. Let him, also, have
a good sniff at it and nose it--but let there be no biting or
mouthing--before you put it into the bag. Otherwise, what return has he
for the pains he has taken?

217. It is no conclusive argument against the practice of allowing him to
"nose," that many first-rate dogs have never been so indulged. It is
certain that they would not have been worse if they had; and many a dog,
that would otherwise have been extremely slack, has been incited to hunt
with eagerness from having been so rewarded. There are dogs who, from
having been constantly denied all "touseling," will not even give
themselves the trouble of searching for any bird which they have seen
knocked over, much less think of pointing it. They seem satisfied with
this ocular evidence of its death; for, odd to say, these very dogs will
often zealously obey the order to hunt for any bird whose fall they have
not noticed; but on winding it they will indulge in no more than a passing
sniff,--which sniff, unless you are watchful, you may not observe, and so
lose your bird. Never fail, therefore, to let your pupil ruffle the
feathers a little, while you bestow on him a caress or kind word of
approbation. You then incite to perseverance, by, even with dogs, a very
abiding motive,--"self-interest;" but mind the important rule, that his
"nosing" be only _when_ the bird is in your possession, not _before_ it is
in your possession. If you wish to establish for ever a confirmed
perseverance in "seeking dead," you must sacrifice _hours_--I say it
seriously--rather than give up any of the first wounded birds. Be
persuaded that every half hour spent in an unremitting search for _one_
bird, if ultimately successful, will more benefit the young dog than your
killing a _dozen_ to him, should you bag them the moment you are reloaded.
Of course you would not, when you are giving such a lesson in
perseverance, fire at another bird, even if it sprang at your feet,--for
your doing so, whether you missed or killed, would unsettle the young dog,
and make him relinquish his search. Be stimulated to present exertion by
the conviction, that if he b