THE POINTER. 131

long course of severe training; and it is a curious fact, that
by a succession of generations having been constantly edu-
cated to this purpose, it has become almost innate, and young
dogs of the true breed point with scarcely any instruction :
this habit is so firm in some that the late Mr. Gilpin is
reported to have painted a brace of pointers while in the
act, and that they stood an hour and a quarter without
moving.” A smooth dog, resembling the fox-hound in his
markings, though sometimes entirely black, the pointer is used
by sportsmen to point them to the spot where the game is
to be found. “It ranges the fields,” says Mr. Wood, “until
it scents the hare or partridge lying close on the ground.
It then remains still as if carved in stone, every limb fixed,
and the tail pointing straight behind it. In this attitude it
remains until the gun is discharged, reloaded, and the sports-
man has reached the place where the bird sprang.”
The Pointeras The pointer is a keen sportsman and will
8 Sportsman. “point” without tiring while worthily supported
by the gun, but many stories are told of his disgust at a bad
shot and his refusal to “point” for unskilful sportsmen. The
following amusing story is told by Captain Brown and is
quoted as follows by Mr. Jesse: “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,
hig 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 sports-
man was clese to him. with both barrels cocked, then mov-