As regards the advisability of the backing dog remaining stationary in Brace Stakes while his master and the pointing dog road up the game, in contradistinction to drawing up behind the gun - opinions differ among sportsmen. This is owing, no doubt, to the difference in the sort of country that they shoot over, and to the dissimilar game that they have to pursue. But, surely, in any case, all young dogs should be taught at first to remain immovable when backing, as by this means they become much less jealous and more careful. And for expediency also, looking on public trials as means to the end of obtaining a supply of first-rate dogs for shooting, this absolute steadiness behind should be insisted on; as one day will suffice to convert a steady dog to the drawing-on method, but the process can never be reversed.

Roading their game is another faculty in which trial dogs have improved much of late, and, needless to say, it is of primary importance to the grouse-shooter; for the birds so frequently run on from the point of the dog that, unless on his master's approach he willingly follows them without fuss or encouragement, many a shot will be missed and many a brood escape altogether.

Stickiness on the point may be cured easily when a dog is young by yoking him to an old one, who will take him up to the birds in spite of himself.

Before detailing the attributes that are necessary to make up a first-class Pointer, it may be said that there can be no doubt whatever that the standard of points used of late to decide as to which is the best-looking Pointer at the shows, is in many ways fanciful and arbitrary. Indeed, it has made some points essentially necessary that are of no real practical value, because they have no direct or indirect bearing on the dog's utility, nor were they originally characteristic of the Pointer. The possession of them does not render him any the more fitted to assist the sportsman with the gun. but contrariwise. That these are not necessary to render a Pointer good at his. work will be clearly understood by every sportsman; and, in support of this statement, it may be added that most dogs remarkable for their excellence in the field do not possess them. That celebrated field-trial winner Drake (sold at seven years old for 150 guineas to Mr. Price, of Bala), a marvel in his day, although possessing in a very marked degree the points of endurance, wear and tear qualities, could not raise any claim to be considered good-looking from the modern show-bench point of view. In general outline he was just the build that should be looked for in a dog of whom a lot of hard work is required; but on critical examination - that is, taking into consideration all the little etceteras which go to make up a show-ring winner - he would have been found very deficient. When compared with his kennel companion, the celebrated show-prize winner Wagg, the qualities that made Wagg so successful seem to be entirely absent in him. These are the features that may legitimately be called "fancy points," and are chiefly derived from the Foxhound cross.

It is well known that a few show dogs have won at field trials; but the fact remains that those which are not of this type have taken the most prominent position as field-trial runners. And those that by their excellent qualities prove the best in the field are generally the most unlike what has been considered a good-looking, show-bred Pointer.