308 Modern Dogs. 



Hyde Park. During 1875 he had noticed that on 

 many occasions some of his dogs picked up a strong 

 hunt, which they usually carried to a brick drain 

 which ran from the park into Kensington Gardens, 

 but, being in the enclosed portion, he called them 

 off. However, in the spring of the following 

 year the dogs re-commenced hunting keenly in 

 the same locality, so one evening Mr. Pratt 

 examined the place where they marked, and at once 

 came to the conclusion that it was no cat or rabbit 

 his little favourites were having their fun with. 

 Further inquiries elicited the intelligence that a 

 constable and one of the park keepers had seen a 

 curious creature creep into the drain, which Mr. Pratt 

 knew from their description must be a badger. 



For a time nothing was done, and Mr. Pratt was 

 in hopes that the strange and solitary animal would be 

 allowed to remain in peace, but the park keeper at 

 that time was of a different opinion, and by the aid 

 of a sack and a bulldog the badger was caught. 

 Then it was baited, and sold to some young " swells," 

 which facts coming to the ears of Mr. Pratt, he wrote 

 to the Times. The park keeping delinquent who had 

 caught the animal was severely reprimanded, and 

 after some trouble it was found that the poor creature 

 had wantonly been killed, and afterwards " set up " in 

 the most approved fashion by Mr. Rowland Ward. 



