Alhrigliton Hall. —Plenty of Foxes. 77 



sport, however, I cannot write, because the required 

 amnial refused to tarn up anywhere, althoupjh known to 

 be about. Stapleton, Netley, Lythwood, Bomere, and 

 Betton were requisitioned in vain — the first blank dav of 

 the season, I beheve, and it is one, I am sure, that will 

 be explained away before its close. 



On Friday it looked as if the fixture at Mr. Sparrow's, 

 of Albrighton Hall, could not be brought off. The 

 ground was as hard as adamant at ten o'clock About 

 noon, however, the sun broke out, and the elements 

 relaxed their ferocity. Preston Gubbalds soon put the 

 possibility of riding to the test, and people, who a few 

 minutes before had been shaking their heads, and talking 

 of going home, were seen pounding away for Hardwicke, . 

 and j Limping fences, as if of frost there was none. Not 

 crossing the road the fox made to the left to Pimhill, . 

 and out at the bottom for Merrington, where he gave 

 them the slip. Birchy Moor was the next find, from 

 whence a fox got away quickly towards Albrighton, then 

 to the right, down to the railway by Leaton, and on 

 towards the Moss, where there was a missing link 

 between him and the pack, which could not be recovered. 

 Hencote Pool then gave forth No. 3, that ran an 

 exceedingly pretty ring over much the same ground as 

 the last fellow, and eventually went to ground in the 

 middle of a field near Hencote. The Gubbalds again 

 w^ere tried, and again was a fox on foot, that very soon 

 went away for Pimhill. After going two fields, how- 

 ever, the pack met with another fox, that had jumped 

 up out of a hedgerow in view, and him they caught very 

 quickly— he being minus a leg, and as it turned out a 

 regular hen-roost robber, that deserved his fate. The 

 hunted fox, in the meantime, although view^ed into Pim- 

 hill, had gone too far to be recovered. Would that a 

 rather enjoyable, and decidedly foxy, day had ended 

 here. Hardwicke Gorse w^as drawn, and a vixen 

 chopped. This is hard lines on its good owner, who has 

 shown a fox here, I think it is eight times this season. 

 There was no blame to-day as to heading her, and so 

 it must be put down entirely to the chapter of accidents. 



On Saturday " King Nip " put down his foot so 

 strongly, that hunting at Prees Heath was, I should say, 



