x INTRODUCTION. 



The dramatis persona, too, do not all bear their real 

 patronymics ; and where these have been given, as in 

 the case of M. de St. Prix and others, chiefly old com- 

 panions of the chase at home and abroad, the Author 

 ventures to hope the liberty he has so taken will be 

 considered a venial one by those gentlemen. 



In proof that, as yet, the progress of civilisation has 

 not done much to diminish the fcrce naturce of Lower 

 Brittany, so far at least as the Wolf is concerned, 

 General Wm. Eden and his family, who were travelling 

 in Finisterre this last autumn (1874), have kindly 

 informed the Author that they saw, with no little 

 astonishment, five full-grown wolves and two foxes 

 exhibited in a cart and dragged triumphantly through 

 the streets of Ouimper, all having been killed at a 

 " grandc c/iasse" in that immediate neighbourhood. 



This successful bag surpasses even that of the 

 sporting Lord Maire, introduced into a French play 

 some years ago. He enters the stage in red coat and 

 full hunting costume, puts down his gun (an old single- 

 barrel), and exclaims, " J'ai eu unc chasse super be ; fai 

 tuc mcs six renards ! " 



This, of course, was an imaginary exploit ; but the 



