grouse, and then another, for
which faults she was flogged again and again. Having done the same
thing the third time, the steady old grandmother was so provoked, that
she ran at the culprit, knocked her over and over, and did not cease
to attack her till she had driven her home. The authenticity of this
anecdote need not be doubted. It is a proof of the extraordinary sense
of a dog, and is corroborated by a fact already mentioned in the
introductory remarks (p. 33), of one dog attacking another for having
misconducted himself.

Some very bad shots went out partridge-shooting, attended by a very
good, old, steady pointer. After shooting for some hours with very
little success, they began to amuse themselves by firing at a piece of
paper stuck on a post. The disgust of the old dog at this proceeding
may be imagined--he ran home.

In further proof of the dislike a pointer will show to a bad shot, I
will adduce the following anecdote mentioned by Captain Brown. A
gentleman, on his requesting the loan of a pointer-dog from a friend,
was informed by him that the dog would behave very well so long as he
could kill his birds; but if he frequently missed them, it would run
home and leave him. The dog was sent, and the following day was fixed
for trial; but, unfortunately, his new master was a remarkably bad
shot. Bird after bird rose and was fired at, but still pursued its
flight untouched, till, at last, the pointer became careless, and
often missed his game. As if seemingly willing, however, to give one
chance more, he made a dead stop at a fern-bush, with his nose pointed
downward, the fore-foot bent, and his tail straight and steady. In
this position he remained firm till the sportsman was close to him,
with both barrels cocked, then moving steadily forward for a few
paces, he at last stood still near a bunch of heather, the tail
expressing the anxiety of the mind by moving regularly backwards and
forwards. At last out sprung a fine old blackcock. Bang, bang, went
both barrels, but the bird escaped unhurt. The patience of the dog was
now quite exhausted; and, instead of dropping to charge, he turned
boldly round, placed his tail between his legs, gave one howl, long
and loud, and set off as fast as he could to his own home.

I have seen a pointer leap on the top of a high gate, in going from
one field to another, and remain steadily there till I came up to him.
He had suddenly come on the scent of birds, and made his poi