402 ifcings of tbe 1Rot>, Kttfle, anfc (Bun 



no chance with him at ground game. Colonel Anson, 

 considered the best shot in England at rabbits, was once 

 backed against him for a day's rabbit shooting at 

 Colonel Peel's. Sir R. Sutton arrived rather late, and 

 being told that a wager was pending, and that they had 

 begun shooting, said, ' Never mind, I shall be with him 

 presently,' and so he was before three o'clock he was 

 several couples ahead. . . . 



In shooting we have stated that he was never 

 equalled ; he had a profound contempt for ' popping 

 at pigeons ' ; he not only thought that it savoured of 

 blacklegism (he had the same idea regarding the Turf) ; 

 but the manliness of his nature made him feel that 

 there was a tameness about carrying the bird to the 

 trap, not unlike that of turning a stag out of a cart 

 which, he often said, was the most laughable thing 

 imaginable, though he only witnessed the performance 

 once on one occasion when being in Norfolk for a day 

 or two, he went to see the deer turned out before the 

 hounds of the late Mr. Robert Hamond. The meet was 

 on Swaffham Heath, about seven miles from Linford, 

 and the stag, as though aware that a sportsman was 

 out, seemed so fully bent on the ridiculous, that he 

 kept trotting in and out among the dumpling-eaters, 

 and every now and then taking a stare at the Master 

 of the Burton as much as to say ' Is not this fun ? ' 

 till at length he was re-carted, and returned to his pad- 

 dock. Poor Mr. Hamond drew a very long face, whilst 

 Sir Richard said it was better than 'Punch.' 



His quickness with the gun was most wonderful ; 

 the quantity of game he would kill, though not put 



