WHEN I WAS YOUNG 13 



artist and sculptor and a fine shot and billiard 

 player. After the death of his wife, to whom he 

 was greatly attached, he travelled much in various 

 parts of the world, and devoted himself entirely 

 to Natural History. Condover was turned into a 

 private Zoo, and when in England all his time was 

 occupied in making collections of birds and insects. 

 His collection of exotic Lepidoptera was one of the 

 best in Europe, whilst at the time his Birds of 

 Paradise (afterwards purchased by the Duke of 

 Westminster) were unique. Owing to my interest 

 in birds he took a fancy to me, and asked my 

 parents to allow me to spend all my holidays at 

 Condover, and so, except in the autumn, when we 

 always went to Scotland, my vacations were for 

 several years passed in Shropshire. He gave me a 

 pony to ride, and allowed me to shoot whenever I 

 liked on the great estate and fish in the beautiful 

 lake of Beaumer, where the Great Crested Grebes 

 used to breed. It was a very happy time for me, 

 and Mr. Cholmondely taught me many things, 

 always treating me as if I were a man as old as 

 himself. Daily I attended to the aviary of Eastern 

 Pheasants, where there was a so-called " tame " 

 roebuck, of which I was terribly afraid, as he always 

 charged if you turned your back on him. One day 

 this vicious little animal sent me flying against the 

 fence of the enclosure, and attacked so vigorously, 

 although his horns were absent, that I had to call 

 for help. The strength of even so small an animal 

 as the roebuck is very great. 1 



1 Lady MacPherson Grant of Ballindalloch was attacked 

 one day, some years ago, by a tame roebuck and very seriously 

 injured. 



