Xorfc "Rennety? 229 



That the Kennedys were also a race of sportsmen one 

 may gather from correspondence still preserved in the 

 family archives. In 1693 I find Sir Archibald Kennedy, 

 a great shooter of wild-fowl, sending presents of solan 

 geese to James, Earl of Perth, and George, Duke of 

 Gordon, and others, whose letters thanking him heartily 

 for " the rarety " arc extant. A noble sportsman would 

 hardly think nowadays of sending solan geese to his 

 friends, and if he did the recipients of the present would 

 hardly thank him for " the rarety." Doubtless by men 

 besieged, say at Ladysmith or Mafeking, a solan goose 

 might be deemed a delicacy, but under no other circum- 

 stances can I conceive anyone looking on the bird in 

 its cooked state without a shudder. 



They were noted breeders, too, both of hawks and 

 sporting dogs, these Kennedys. Here is a curious letter 

 from Alexander, Lord Montgomerie, of Eglintoun, 

 thanking Sir Archibald Kennedy for the present of "a 

 setter dog." The letter is dated June 25th, 1698 : 



" I am much oblidged to you for the dog you have 

 sent me, setting being the onlay sport I am like to have 

 the next seson ; but you writt the doge is out, and your 

 man tells me Murdochs in your countrie ; besids my 

 wife likes mour-foull, and I would take ane day or tuos 

 sport or I goe to Edinburgh, all which has made me 

 return this doge, and sent my fout man along for the 

 other you writt of. I hope you will excuse this fredom." 



The spelling is eccentric and the grammar obscure, 

 but apparently Lord Montgomerie's meaning is that 

 Sir Archibald Kennedy had previously promised him 

 another dog of Murdoch's breed, and that he prefers 



