MR. THORNHILL.— 1834. 307 



Nov. 14. — Met at Stoneleigh Abbey ; found a fox in 

 the Glasshouse wood, and ran him to earth in the Abbey 

 Grounds. Drew Thickthorne, blank. Found another fox 

 in Wainbody-wood, when he led us back to Thickthorne, 

 where he was lost. This was another of the many unlucky 

 days which we had experienced this season, when it was 

 impossible for any hounds to follow their game. 1 



Nov. 15. — Met this morning at Prineethorpe, and 

 found a fox at the famous covert of Debdale, which led us 

 away for Birdingbury j left that place to the right, and 

 went down for Marston ; he then turned short back to 

 Debdale, where the hounds ran into him. We afterwards 

 drew Lester's Piece, the Popels, and Frankton-wood, 

 blank. 



Nov 17- — Met at Butler's Marston Kennel, and in 

 drawing Kineton Holt we unkenneled a litter of cubs, 

 and ran one at a very sharp pace into a main earth at 

 Ballard's Hill. We then went back and found again at the 

 Holt, and ran him to ground near Radway. We left him 

 there, and drew Pillerton Gouse, and Walton-wood, blank. 

 Mr, Grant met with an accident to-day. 



1 The perseverance of the fox is truly remarkable. He is not 

 deterred from his purpose by any disappointment, however often it 

 may be repeated. If his life be not placed in jeopardy by immediate 

 danger, ( and he has cunning enough generally to know when this is 

 the case, ) he will visit the same premises, night after night, in the 

 hope of picking up something he can make a meal of. I take good 

 care, said a Yeoman, to keep the fox out of my hen-roost ; but one 

 night, perhaps the only one for some months, the door of the duck- 

 pen had been left unmade, master reynard soon discovered the neglect, 

 and carried off two or three ducks and a drake, the whole of my stock 

 of poultry of that description. 



