Xorfc ikcnncto? 235 



.'i miss. In this country we can show no such records. 

 I may be mistaken, but I do not remember that any 

 score of 90 out of 100 birds has ever been made in 

 a public match in England. 



I have already said that Lord Kennedy's temper 

 was none of the best. He could not take a defeat in 

 good part, but brooded over it, and never rested till 

 he had devised some scheme of revenge. On one 

 occasion he had taken long odds to a large amount 

 on winning three events. He won the first two. The 

 third was a match at pigeons against Captain Ross, 

 which he lost His lordship was much annoyed, and 

 somewhat unguardedly spoke of his determination " to 

 go at Ross in every way, until he had not left him 

 so much as a pewter pot." The Captain was to be 

 one of a party, which included Lord Kennedy, who 

 were to drive to the Derby together ; and before starting 

 the former received a hint to be wide awake and 

 prepared for all sorts of wild proposals from his lord- 

 ship. They had not got well off the stones before Lord 

 Kennedy opened fire. First he attacked Captain Ross 

 about his riding, and offered to back a gentleman who 

 hunted in Scotland (Captain Douglas) to ride a match 

 against Ross, four miles over Leicestershire, for ;i,ooo 

 a side. Captain Ross accepted the bet ; and before the 

 day was over Lord Kennedy had not only wagered a 

 further .2,000 to 1,000 with the Captain on the event, 

 but had made a cocking match with him to fight a 

 main for 1,000, and "100 a battle. 



The steeplechase came off first, the course being from 

 Barkley Holt to Billesdon Coplow, and excited a great 



