COLONEL ANSTRUTHER-THOMPSON GUTTAPERCHA. 161 



In the ' Daily Telegraph ' of last Christmas Day's 

 issue, we read as follows: 4 A strange innovation 

 has just been introduced into fox-hunting records 

 in Fifeshire. According to the " Sporting Gazette," 

 Colonel Anstruther - Thompson, finding that the 

 winter promised to be a long and sharp one, made 

 up his mind that neither frost nor snow should stop 

 him from his favourite sport, and trained men and 

 horses accordingly. A few days since the result 

 was seen. With the thermometer at eight degrees 

 below freezing-point, and the ground covered with 

 snow, he and a number of his neighbours met, 

 amongst them being one lady, their horses having 

 previously had the soles of their feet covered with 

 guttapercha. For a while, Balcorm wood was drawn 

 without success, but presently a fox rushed out and 

 a sharp run followed. The scent in the snow proved 

 amazingly good ; and despite all the circumstances, 

 which until now in foxhunting have been regarded 

 as disadvantageous, the going was of the very best. 

 At length, however, the fox managed to escape, and, 

 as the sun was by this time at rest, it was too late 

 for further sport that day. But the experiment 

 Colonel Thompson has thus successfully made has 

 created such an impression in Scotland, that it is 

 likely to be followed everywhere this season ; so that 

 the owners of hunters who trembled at the prospects 

 of the early winter, may take heart, and, by the aid 

 of guttapercha soles and a little training, yet chase 

 the fox over snow-covered ground.' 



In Colonel Anstruther-Thompson we have another 

 M 



