THE KENDALL FAMILY. 189 



strange to say, another white fox was killed elsewhere that very same 

 season." 



In his still more informing book, Mr. T. F. Dale says : — 



It is not surprising to find many abnormal colours in a race so 

 variable. White foxes are not indeed common, but are fairly frequent. 

 In 1898, a white fox was seen in Roborough Woods, a covert belonging 

 to Stevenstone (Hon. Mark Rolle's) country. There has been one 

 white fox killed in Essex, and two in Somersetshire, one of the latter 

 being preserved at Cothelestone Hall, near Taunton. (Mr. C. J. 

 Esdaile, of Cothelestone Hall, tells me that he knew this fox from the 

 time when it was a cub). There was also an instance in Kincardineshire, 

 but this fox is believed to have come ashore from the wreck of a Nor- 

 wegian vessel, and was probably an Arctic fox (C. lagopus), which 

 is one of a species distinct from our common fox. 



To come still nearer home, we have an instance, too, 

 in Yorkshire, for on the 7th December, 1848, a white fox 

 gave the Cleveland Hounds a wonderful run. Mr. Thomas 

 Parrington, who, in future years, was destined to preside 

 over the interests of the Sinnington Hounds, was in the run, 

 which took the followers through at least a dozen parishes, 

 and an account of which appears in Sir A. E. Pease's book 

 somewhat minimises the whiteness, for he concludes thus : — 



It is most remarkable, but nevertheless true, that throughout this 

 extraordinary run of over about 30 miles of difficult country, and during 

 three hours and five minutes, the hounds were never once off the scent. 

 The pace was never slow, and how one fox, for they never changed, 

 endured through the run is almost incredible. The fox, one that had 

 " braved the battle and breeze " for many a season, was almost white 

 with age, a game and gallant fellow. 



The mask of this fox (writes Mr. Parrington) was in 

 Kirkleatham Hall, and will be there yet if the moths have 

 not devoured it. 



I remember, too, hearing some years ago in the Bedale 

 country of a white, or nearly white, fox which was killed 

 somewhere near Danby-on-Yore, but in this case again I 

 fancy age was the cause. 



Col. R. F. Meysey-Thompson in that most readable book, 

 " The Course, the Camp, and the Chase," tells us of a white 

 fox in the York and Ainsty country. He says : — 



" Another celebrity was a white fox that was one of a litter at 

 Thorpe Green, and was constantly seen in 1865-67. Some of the other 



