1889] GOOD LATE HUNTING. 169 



March '22nd. Broomhill Farm. — Funnel in one of tlie Epwell Spinneys, 

 ran the fox a cracker towards Shntford Clump, )nit turned to tlie left and 

 went back by Epwell Warreu, and across to Brailes Hill, leaving the village 

 on tlie riglit, and to ground on the far side of tlie hill, after a capital run of 

 thirty-iive minutes without a check. No sport afterwards. 



April \<)th. Boicshot. — Found at Lighthonie Rough, ran hard down to 

 Moreton Village, and turned to the left, and ran through Moreton Wood, and 

 over the road lietween Wellesbourne and Newbold Pacey, kept straight on. 

 and just skirted Fir Tree Hill, over the brook and across to Watchbury Hill, 

 and on to Warwick Park. Unfortunately the gates were locked, and after 

 some delay the hounds turned back through the Osier Beds, and ran back, 

 leaving Watchbury Hill to the left, and we lost between there and Warwick 

 Park. The first forty xuinutes to Warwick Park was very good indeed. 

 Found again in Chesterton Wood, and ran slowly to Itchington Holt, and 

 hard back to Bishop's Gorse, and then by Fletcher's Coppice and Gaydon 

 Gorse liack to the Holt, through it, and on to Bishop's Itchington. and ran to 

 ground between there and Harbury Village. 



Last day's hunting on April 12th, at Wellesbourne. Good day for hounds. 

 Found at Bath Hill ; were ringing about all day, and ended with a good kill. 



Sir C. Mordaunt was prevented from hunting during 

 the hitter part of the season by a bad fracture of the arm, 

 from his horse having fallen on him. 



Hunted on 109 days. Killed ninety foxes, and ran sixty-nine to ground. 



A good season's sport, without any very fine run. The spring was very 

 cold, and during the month of April there was not a leaf to be seen on any of 

 the hedges or trees. 



From Sir C. Mordaunt's diary : 



The summer was more or less cold and wet until July, but the autumn was 

 very fine and dry. We had the best season's sport we have yet had in Scotland, 

 having killed 131 stags and 3110 grouse. Durhig twenty-five days' deer- 

 stalking, I killed eighty-six stags. The average weight of the deer was very 

 high, but their heads were not so good as usiial on account of the cold spring 

 and summer. 



At this time, John Ferguson, one of the stalkers, used to attend the kirk 

 at Kingussie on Sundays, and as there was no delivery of the post on that day, 

 lie was in the habit of bringing back our letters and newspajjers When his 

 father, who was an elder of the Church of Scotland, heard of this, he said to 

 him : " Ye may just bring the letters, but ye may nae bring the newspapers 

 on the Sawbuth." 



SEASON OF 1889-90. 

 From Lord AVilloughby de Broke's diary : 



First day of culihunting on August 29th at Lighthonie Rough. 



On October 21st. shortly after the hounds had gone away from Snitterfield 

 Bushes, Lady Willoughby de Broke had a very bad fall in a barbed wire 

 fence. She was unconscious for some time, and had to lie taken home in a 

 brougham. Barbed wire was put up to a great extent ior two years on the 

 Clopton side of the high road. 



The cubhuuting season was extremely good. In thirty-seven days' hunting. 



