312 WARWICKSHIRE HUNT. 



Dec. 20. — Met at Dunchurch, drew Hillmorton cover, 

 blank. A fox had previously started out of an hedge, and 

 although he had been gone for 15 minutes, yet the hounds 

 hit him off and ran him to ground at Crick Gorse. We 

 then went to Mr. Cooke's gorse, blank. Drew Captain 

 Ibbert's coverts, and chopped a mangy fox. Next drew 

 Bunker's Hill Gorse, lilank. Found at Debdale, when 

 pug led us away for East Leamington ; but the scent now 

 lay so bad that the hounds were taken home. 



Dec. 26. — Met at Ufton Wood, found, and ran about 

 for two hours. At last reynard broke away for Print Hill, 

 and then on to Debdale. Leaving that cover to the right, 

 he went straight for Eathorpe, over the earths there, which 

 he tried, and then on to Wappenbury Wood, and through 

 that cover to Ryton. Here, from changing our fox, the 

 hounds divided, and they were whipped off as it was getting 

 dark. The hounds were taken to Butler's Marston Kennel 

 that night. 1 



Dec. 27. — After meeting at Oakley Wood, we first 

 drew Whitnash Gorse, blank. Found at Chesterton Pool, 

 ran him to Whitnash Gorse, and there turned him up. At 



1 The importance of fox hunting, as a national amusement, 

 seems to us to he hut very imperfectly understood by many who partake 

 of the benefit, without perceiving tlie source from wlience it arises. 

 There are about 320 packs of hounds kept in England ; viz. Foxhounds, 

 108— Staghounds, 12— Harriers, 177— Beagles, 77— Otterhounds, 12 

 — Total 320. Then, supposing Wales, Scotland, and Ireland to 

 possess half that number, the packs, in the whole United Kingdom, 

 would amoimt nearly to 500. These packs employ many thousand of 

 the best and stoutest horses in the country, and a succession of no 

 small number annually to keep up the different establishments. The 

 advantages derived by the country, from this source, is immense ; and 

 the breeder, the dealer, the farmer, the tradesman, and the helpers, 

 all partake of them. 



