of Ireland dog, which is given in the annexed engraving; and the South Country water spaniel, of which I have never seen a well-marked specimen. Both are of a liver colour, but the former has often more or less white, while in the latter this is entirely absent. The northern dog is also longer on the legs, with short ears, having little or no feather on them, and both the legs and tail being also almost free from this ornament, and covered instead with a short curly coat, as is also the rest of the body. The southern dog, on the contrary, has long and well-feathered ears, tail round also, and pointed, never being carried above the back; head covered with a perfect top-knot, coming down over the forehead in a peak. These dogs are valued very highly in Ireland, but they are little known out of that country. The northern Irish spaniel is, however, common enough in England and Scotland.

TEACHING TO RETRIEVE.

The fondness for carrying is displayed by some puppies to a remarkable extent, while others are altogether without it. The latter will never make good retrievers, in spite of all the efforts of the best breakers, but the former will only require a little practice to become the most valuable assistants in shooting. I am often asked, "How am I to begin to teach my puppy to fetch and carry?" Now, this is rather a difficult question to answer satisfactorily, because in itself it plainly shows that there is an absence in the individual for whose benefit it is asked of the special faculty to which I am now drawing attention. If the puppy is likely to become good in this line, he will naturally display his "fetch-andcarry" propensities, and will be constantly seen with a ball. or a piece of stick, or perhaps a stone in his mouth, asking you to throw it for him. Every one accustomed to dogs of this kind must have seen this, though it is not so common among animals which are not generally long in the company of their masters, house-pets being particularly likely to display it. There are means by which young dogs may be taught to carry, but then the act of teaching is almost sure to render them "hard-mouthed," an effect which spoils them entirely and for ever, for no fault is more difficult to eradicate. The

mode by which carrying may be taught consists in letting the puppy, especially when teething, lay hold of a handkerchief or towel, or a bunch of feathers tied to a cord, and drag it towards him; a slight resistance aggravates him exceedingly, and makes him fond of possession, which he may be allowed to have for a few seconds, and will then proudly carry off his trophy, the other end of which is still to be held, but not checked. In a few seconds he may be again warned by a gentle pull that he is not yet master of it, and this renews the desire, which ultimately becomes confirmed, and any dog may thus be taught to carry a stick; but, as I before remarked, he will inevitably become "hard-mouthed."

After giving him only a few of these lessons daily, and not nauseating, he is, as he grows older, accustomed to fetch anything which is thrown, and often may be made to pick up whatever he is told to lift, by the words "Fetch it," pointing to the particular article. In throwing the glove for him to fetch, occasionally throw it into high grass, or in the garden, into carrots or potatoes, then cry "seek, seek," and encourage the dog to look for it, by appearing to look for it yourself. After six months of age, the puppy may be taught to find and bring young rabbits, purposely concealed in grass, &c.: but should never be allowed to hunt rats, since they, by their bite, raise the animal's ire, and cause him to retaliate, and consequently to become hard-mouthed with his game. When the retriever has learnt to find and bring young rabbits without injury, and is under very good command, he may safely be taken out with pointers, but at first should be led by a servant, and only suffered to go loose when a bird is killed. He will then at once proceed to find it, and bring it to you, during all which time the pointers must be still "down," let the search be ever so long and distant. After a short time, when the retriever has been thoroughly accustomed to the work he has to do, he may be allowed to go at large, keeping him always at the heel of the shooter, and only suffering him to retrieve at the words "Seek, seek," if the birds are wounded, or "Fetch it," if dead. The retriever should always be made to bring the game to the actual foot, or even the hand of the shooter, and not lay it down at a distance, as he may choose:

sometimes to leave it on the wrong side of a fence or river. In teaching these dogs to take water, it is only necessary to begin in the summer, and to avoid throwing them in. They will always, at that season, readily enter the water, and fetch anything floating out of it. Nothing is so easy as to teach a retriever to do his work, but the difficulty is to keep him at heel till ordered off; yet by firmness, and a little system of rewards and punishments, this may always be effected. A "hard-mouthed" dog is most difficult to break of his bad habit, and indeed he may almost be said to be irretrievably spoiled. When, however, a puppy has shown natural abilities for this office, and has only taken to pinch game from over-eagerness, he may be mended in this respect by putting on a check collar, and taking him up very steadily and slowly to his game. Give him, in the course of the walk up to it, several monitory pieces of advice, such as "Steady, boy, steady," by which his ardour will be damped, and if these fail, check his collar smartly. Then let him very gradually and slowly take the bird into his mouth, keeping his nose just away from it till he has had time to inhale the scent. When he grasps it, still caution him, but let him keep possession for two or three minutes, and then make him drop it into the hand. By proceeding in this slow and cautious manner, the dog may get over his tendency to grip his game, but in the majority of instances, such an animal never becomes quite what he ought to be. Balls stuck full of needles, steel bits which keep the mouth slightly open, and other similar devices, have been invented, but none of them are of much service. The bit or bridle, as it is sometimes called, answers as long as it is worn, but few people would care to have a retriever which bears the unmistakeable marks of being a bad one.

The WATER RETRIEVER requires very little special teaching in addition to that which has been already alluded to as necessary on land. But he must have a great deal of practice before he is really useful, and a good water-retriever is not often to be met with. Of course he must be induced to "take water" readily, but those breeds which are likely to become good in this capacity require very little education in this particular. The water retriever should commence on land, like the land retriever, to seek for gloves and young