A description of dog is now used, denominated a retriever, which our forefathers never heard of; however, his usefulness is unquestionable, and, consequently, he is duly entitled to a place in the list of sporting dogs. There can be no question as to the advantages which arise from the services of such an animal to recover wounded game, or to bring that which is killed; and the superiority of such management over that of encouraging pointers or setters to perform that duty is unquestionable. It is the perfection of the latter, after having got on the scent of game, to point, or stop; how conflicting, therefore, is the instruction which induces an animal to stop, on one occasion, but to go on, on another, which last operation is the office of the retriever. If a pointer be used to retrieve wounded birds, he must chase them, an act for which he has, in his first initiation, been severely corrected; but hereafter he is to be encouraged to do so upon a signal, or certain words being made use of. Much as I am disposed to award extraordinary powers of instinct and sagacity to animals, I cannot perceive any reason why we are to suppose that a dog can distinguish with certainty when he is required to point and when to chase birds. It may be argued that the chasing is only to be performed after a bird has been shot at and is wounded; the report of the gun will certainly, after much practice and punishment, become an intimation; or should the bird be wounded, so as to cause it to bleed, the scent may be increased; but it frequently happens that birds are badly wounded, and do not bleed externally at all, in which case I am at a loss to conceive how the poor dog is to understand what his master wishes him to do.

What is a retriever? is a question that may very naturally be asked; and the reply will be something like that of the schoolboy who was desired to explain the meaning of chaos, when, hesitating and considering, all he could define was "that chaos meant a kind of a

why, chaos-means chaos!" beyond which his imaginative powers could not carry him. So it may be said, a retriever is a retriever; and, as far as his duties are concerned, it is easy to describe them; thus a dog having a good nose and a particular propensity for finding and fetching wounded game. As to describing how he is bred, that is a task which I will never attempt: any mongrel whose olfactory powers are sensitive, and who is endowed with sagacity and docility of temper, may be brought to perform what is desired. Certain crosses may, however, be expected to produce the animal required with much greater probability than others; and, reasoning from analogy, we naturally anticipate our hopes will be realized by a combination of such propensities as the peculiar duties require. For instance, as he must be frequently called upon to fetch ducks and other birds from the water, it is requisite that he should be endowed with such habits for which the water-spaniel or new, foundland dog appears the most likely to entail that property on the offspring. To produce the combination of the nose, and disposition to hunt, which the thoroughbred setter possesses, points to that variety of the canine order as the most probable means of obtaining the animal required. The first cross only can be recommended-at least, as far as I have been able to judge-although I am not pre

pared to state that a variety is not to be acquired by going on with a breed obtained on both sides from similar descriptions. Thus, the produce of a setter bitch by a water spaniel might do to breed with the produce of another setter bitch and another water spaniel; but I cannot anticipate a good result if a strain of the Newfoundland, or any other variety, be blended with an opposite kind. Sagacity, and goodness of nose, are two very essential requisites in the retriever. The tempers and propensities of dogs should be minutely attended to in selecting sires and dams to breed from; symmetry and constitution will, doubtless, have much influence on the superiority of the produce. With the subject of symmetry, something is also necessary to be considered relative to size: I consider it to be a most erroneous principle, in breeding either horses or dogs, to endeavour to obtain any degree of stature that may be wished for by crossing with males and females evincing great disparity; although it is frequently the case, if a man is in possession of a small mare, that he puts her to a large horse; or, in the breeding of dogs, that he attempts to equalize the extreme of one of the sexes by the opposite in the other; the result of which is almost invariably disproportion, and, consequently, want of power and symmetry. These disparities are resorted to when a particular favourite happens to be over large, or very diminutive; but it is far better to select one of the opposite sex more on an equality in size, than, attempting to obtain the perfect standard by a great extreme, run the risk of disproportion.

Strenuously as I am disposed to advocate the strictest adherence to the selection of the distinct varieties of either the pointer or setter, for the purpose of breeding, I do not by any means admit that an incestuous strain can be recommended; it should be most scrupulously guarded against; it causes the canine species to degenerate more speedily than any other domestic animal; and when the effects produced by breeding from animals nearly related are considered, no doubt can remain of the impolicy of such a proceeding. Breeding in-and-in, as it is termed, renders the progeny diminutive, weak, and precocious, and, consequently, delicate in constitution, the very converse of the attributes which are desirable in pointers and setters; aptitude to become fat is one of the results, whilst lethargy and indolence of disposition are companions which promote that faculty. A fine development of muscular fibre, with a vigorous, lively, and courageous character, are indispensable to the perfection of all sporting dogs. Generally, it will be found that an intercourse between dogs of certain variations of colour is not productive of favourable consequences, and a black and white male should not be suffered to approve a liver-coloured or yellow and white female; neither would I recommend wholly black and liver colour to be united. The more colours are kept distinct, the better, except the black, black and white, and white, are consistent; and also the liver colour, liver colour and white, with white. The same observations are applicable with terriers: the black and tan does not do to cross with either the red or the white; but the white and the red are admissible.

When the custom so commonly adopted of keeping all kinds of shooting dogs tied up in kennels is contemplated, not much cause

remains for surprise that when wanted to work, especially during the carly part of the season, at the conclusion of about three hours' servitude they should be completely knocked up. No animal whatever can undergo severe exercise, unless he be in perfect health, or, in the more acknowledged phrase, unless he be in good condition; in that term so much is comprehended, and vastly more than is often combined. Any animal, either man, horse, hound, or pointer, requires time to obtain this desideratum; although a superficial state of condition may be produced, by which appearances deceive the unpractised eye and satisfy the inexperienced; but when the shooting season commences, how great is the mortification which ensues upon having the dogs knocked up before half a day's sport has been enjoyed! In my opinion, the practice of keeping sporting dogs chained up is most objectionable: in some situations, and under some circumstances, it may be imperative; but I can scarcely imagine any premises so confined, being occupied by a man whose means justify his keeping such dogs, which cannot be so contrived as to afford a more convenient and appropriate habitation. A small space, five feet in length, and from three to four feet in width, with a bedstead for the dogs to lie upon, may be erected against any spare wall at a trifling expense; and with the addition of a yard or outlet, enclosed with some paling to prevent the inmates from escaping, is an arrangement that may be made in most places, and will accommodate from a leash to two brace of dogs: the more spacious the yard, the more conducive it will be to the health and enjoyment of the occupants. Such kennels are easily kept clean; they are airy and comfortable; the dogs repose together on their beds, and are evidently more happy than when tied up separately; besides which, they have more space to move about in. A dog is, when undisturbed, a lethargic animal, and when tied up, passes the greater portion of his time in repose-a sort of half sleep-or seems dreaming, probably of his being in pursuit of game, or the recollections of punishments which have been inflicted upon him. This leads to a chain of reflections upon the faculties of the canine race. That dogs are endowed with the strongest powers of recollection, there cannot exist a doubt; and thus it is that man is enabled to exact from these faithful companions the numerous performances for which each variety is celebrated.

Whatever kind of habitation may be selected for the use of dogs, fresh water is an element essential to them, and should be supplied daily. When the custom is observed with scrupulous attention, it is no trouble, and occupies very little-comparatively no time. When the boy or person who feeds them approaches their habitation for that purpose, he has only to take a vessel containing fresh water in his hand, empty out the refuse, and refill the trough. A positive order to this effect is the only satisfactory method of insuring a constant supply. If the replenishing the receptacle be dependant upon when it is empty, or nearly so, the dogs will not only at times have impure stagnant water to slake their thirst with, but the great probability is that at times they will not have any at all.

The most proper food for all sorts of dogs required to work, is

X

oatmeal boiled to the consistency of pudding, and mixed with milk or broth, with a moderate proportion of animal flesh. Farinaceous food alone does not contain sufficient nourishment to support dogs in hard work; and animal substance by itself is of too stimulating a character; where only a brace or a brace and a half of pointers are kept, the refuse meat from the house, with broth, and occasionally some milk, will in many instances be sufficient, with the addition of oatmeal. The wretched stinking mess denominated scratchings, obtained from the tallow chandlers, is, of all things, the most nauseous that can be given to dogs. Some persons use it with barley flour, simply mixed up with scalding water; but they never can have their dogs in healthy condition by such diet. It should be taken into consideration that the nature and quality of the blood of all animals is regulated by the quality and quantity of food which they are supplied with; and when it is added that the condition of every animal principally depends upon the state of the blood, it is almost unnecessary to offer more on the necessity of supplying dogs, in whom condition is an essential, with such food as shall be calculated to render the blood of a superior quality.

(To be continued.)

HORE ARUNDINENSES.

No. II.

The last time I met you, gentle reader, which was in November, I made you a promise, of which ill-health and other disagreeables have up to this time prohibited the performance; but now we again hold sweet converse together, and I can unfold to you the practical lessons which experience and Capt. Mack, my old Connemara brother angler, have taught me, and the value of which you can yourselves test in the ensuing year which is about to open, I trust and hope, with more favourable auspices to all brothers of the rod than did the last.

When May comes smiling in upon you, take your seat beneath some leafy hedge hyblais apibus depasta, and there con over our advice, and test and prove it fairly; assured of one thing, that to the best of my poor abilities, I shall endeavour to initiate you into the most mystic recesses of our art, and that as far as I have approached the penetralea thereof, so far shall you accompany me.

As an angler, you are a member of the most glorious, peacefully glorious fraternity, which ever pure tastes or harmless desires imagined and combined, numbering in its ranks the illustrious and amiable throughout all the wide domains of the arts, science, and philosophy; and it therefore behoves you to listen to me with all temper and equanimity even if I should profound what, untried as yet, you conceive to be heresy, and to avoid taking umbrage at anything in this rambling Shandean discourse of mine which may militate with your

past experience, or prove a stumbling block to your prejudices. Come! let us take a cool dive into the murky well, wherein the poets feign truth to dwell; let us make her out if we can, and if we knock our heads together, let us for the sake of our community of purpose forgive and pardon each other. After I have told you of my theory you shall hear of some of its practical workings; for the Hore Arundinenses shall treat of all that appertaineth to the angle, and I hope the hours will not be profitlessly employed by any brother who may read them. In the first place, what flies do you use? Oh! of course, there you go, a regular antiquated follower of Cotton, "according to the weather," "streams," "time of year," &c., &c., &c.; and off you run through a whole catalogue of artificial-flies-May-flies, stone-flies, ant-flies, duns, and drakes, and hackles, and furs, secundem artem, as set down in the most approved works on angling. Do, pray, for one moment, stop that terrible array, to listen to me. I am- -I say it humbly, but confidently-something of an angler; an enthusiastic love of the sport has made me inquire into its theory deeply, and experience has stamped my investigations with success. There is not a man in merry England whom I will yield to in whipping a stream or filling a creel (strange water of course, for every chanticleer is best on his own guano-mound); and for all skies, all waters, streams, seasons, climes, and weathers, I use for trout exactly-5000? No500? No-50? No-exactly 5 different genera or sorts of flies. Mind, amie piscator, we are speaking now of trout streams only. Here is our book: open it, examine it, and look for yourself.

"There is a varied store;" and yet if you inspect them narrowly, there are but four or five different sorts. Here is my first kind, tied on a genuine O'Shaugnessy; àpropos of which, it may be as well to observe, that the O'Shaugnessys of Limerick, both father and son, have gone to their long homes, the path to which they much accelerated by an immoderate partiality for "sports," but that there is a man of the same name now, a watch-maker, who turns out very creditable handy-work. The best Limerick hooks, however, are still to be had from Martin Kelly and Son, of Sackville-street, Dublin, to whom I recommend all my brethren to apply for the real thing. But there he is; winged, as you may see, full long, of the finest feather of an old cock grouse's pinion, his body of rich yellow floss silk, or green (pale sea green being best for the lakes or large dull waters), with a fine deep red hackle, wound in regular ribs half way down the body, and coming up close and thick under the head. Sometimes you may hang him with a black hackle, and wings of the partridge, brachethen, or gill-snipe's feather. Now this big fellow here will rouse the largest salmon that ever fancied fly-catching, when you have decked him out with silver tinselling, whilst his tiny little brother here has fascinations to which no reasonable troutling can in general be blind. Now of this one sort-I opine his entomological nomenclature would puzzle the British Association, Sect. C.-of this one sort we have, as you see some 40 or 50, varying a little in shades of yellow and green, and in wing and hackle from salmon size down to partridges and this is true of all the succeeding genera, so that out of our five kinds I manage to make a good many varieties.