52 HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS. 



learn their business in the clever manner they 

 do. 



Of all persons who have sent in poultry 

 claims and whom from time to time I have had 

 to interview, I think a Lady Doctor who kept 

 a Home for Inebriates took the biscuit, and 

 made me feel small and of no importance. 



" Ride," she said, " you people who come 

 about here think you can ride. Why, you 

 should see the country I used to ride over in 

 Australia. We used to come down drops the 

 height of this house." 



After that I collapsed, and paid her what 

 she wanted. 



LOSSES. 



It would be quite impossible to say the 

 amount of poultry I lose during the year owing 

 to the visits of my neighbour, the fox. On 

 Sunday, which he observes as a special feast 

 day, Mr. Fox went down to the pond and des- 

 troyed sixteen large white Aylesbury ducks; 

 some he ate, others he took home. The re- 

 mainder he buried alive Tor a more convenient 

 season, and my poultryman found the poor 

 ducks, with their legs stuck up out of the 

 ground. 



The day following hounds met at Rayleigh. 

 I asked Mr. Cernegie to come and punish my 

 enemy. After a few moments' consideration: 

 "Not I," he repHed, "while the fox is eating 

 your things, he won't trouble other people. I 

 shall go to Hadleigh." 



