100 HUNTING AND SPORTING NOTES. 



now became the scene of operations. How our cousins 

 across the Atlantic would rejoice if they had such a covert 

 and such a sweet bit of galloping ground from it as here 

 abounds. Lying in a wide bend of the Severn, near where 

 the Verniew joins it, America gives a very smart fifteen 

 minutes gallop to Nessclift' or anywhere else. To-day it 

 held a fox that went away in good style, and afforded no 

 end of fun until he managed to make his escape near the 

 scene of the first fox's death. NessclifP then became the 

 order of the day, and my information goes no further. 



At Loppington on this same Monday, the Shropshire 

 had a long fruitless draw, and did not find until they 

 reached Preston Gubbalds, from which they had a fast 

 twenty-five minutes and killed. 



Tuesday and Wednesday were days on which it was next 

 to impossible to face the blustering and rainy elements. 

 Consequently little or no sport could be expected from 

 Leebotwood with the Shropshire, although a fox from the 

 Lawley took them to Frodesley and Netherwood, and Mr. 

 Gorbett had a good run from Major Stark ey's covert to 

 Peckforton and Wardle, where he was killed in spite of 

 the weather. 



On Thursday, at the fifth milestone on the Baschurch 

 Eoad, foxes did not seem plentiful. Perhaps the open 

 earths accounted for this in a measure. Fitz Coppice, 

 Leaton, and its surroundings failed to produce a fox. At 

 last Merrington set the ball rolling towards Middle Park 

 and Harmer Hill, where a brace were on foot, and hounds 

 divided — one lot going towards Broughton Gorse, and the 

 other the opposite way. In the result, both foxes were soon 

 lost, and a poor day came to an end. 



The familiar form of the old Leaton grey will never 

 again show us how the Shropshire country should be 

 crossed. He came to grief in a big run with the Cheshire 

 on Friday, and was gently laid to his rest. As his owner 

 truly says, "As good a one many men may have had ; a 

 better, never." His almost faultless form was immortalised 

 I rejoice to say, in a sketch in these notes last season, and 

 those in search of a hunter will not do amiss to carry in 

 eye this combination of power, pluck, and perfection, such 

 as were marked in this grand old hunter that had seen 

 well nigh twenty summers. 



