26 CENTURY OF ENGLISH FOX-HUNTING 



fields of sporting literature, which extends for more 

 years than I like to count, to take my readers into 

 my confidence. I like to write to them as if I were 

 talking to them, though I have been informed that I 

 am, on occasions, liable to become intoxicated with 

 the exuberance of my own verbosity. But in re- 

 gard to this chapter, my worst enemy shall not be 

 able to accuse me of such intoxication, for it is 

 necessary that I should furnish statistics before re- 

 lating anecdotes. It was suggested to me that this 

 chapter should have taken the shape of an appendix, 

 instead of being incorporated in the main body of 

 the volume ; but after mature consideration I decided 

 to leave it in its present place, since I think it is 

 easier to refer back to the beginning of a book than 

 to refer forward to an appendix. 



I have only to add that the following statistics are 

 formulated up to the season of 1899- 1900, and do 

 not include the 1 900-1 901 season. I have affixed 

 notes of interrogation in certain instances where I 

 have been unable to obtain accurate information. 



