456 



LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



this season was too dry for sport with foxhounds, though not 

 unfavourable for staghounds, or rather for the horses. Like 

 last season, I made but a small number of days' hunting, for the 

 winter was unusually mild, the little frost and snow we had 

 seemed always to come on hunting days, and especially affected 

 our Tuesdays with the staghounds. 



Crow's Wood 



Notes, 1874-1875. 



Weather. Hunting in England was stopped by frost for 

 seven weeks, chiefly in December and February. January 

 was unusually open with rough stormy weather. In Pem- 

 brokeshire they only lost one week's hunting through trost. 



Sport not good as a rule with foxhounds. Offin's hounds 

 had a very bad season. Arkwright's hounds had better sport 

 than usual. The staghounds had their accustomed sport and 

 were renovated with fresh hounds. But I had a great mis- 

 fortune in the death of my excellent and faithful stud groom, 

 Frederick Beckington, who had been with me for thirty-two 

 years. My hunting friends were constantly congratulating me 

 upon the possession of so valuable a servant, and he was 

 well known to, and much valued by, every hunting man, 

 whether gentleman or farmer, with any pack in the county. 



