1832] 



MR. MEYNELL'S DIARY. 



119 



This is practically for sixteen seasons, as, prior to 1815- 

 1816, Mr. Meynell Ingram did not profess to be hunting 

 foxes, but ran one if he was lucky enough to find him. 



We now, unfortunately, come to a great gap in the 

 diary, which lapses till it is resumed in 1858 by Mr. H. F. 

 Meynell. It is, therefore, necessary to have recourse, 

 during that interval, to what scanty materials can be 

 gleaned from public sources. 



1833, January 23rd. — A writer in the New Sporting 

 Magazine says — 



The season oa the whole has been a bad scenting one with us, and though 

 there have been scarcely two days together to keep hounds in kennel, the 

 number of foxes killed has been unusually small. The Atherstone hounds, the 

 last time I was out with them, had numbered but sixteen brace, and Mr. Meynell's 

 but twelve, yet both these packs hold a high rank in the field. 



It sounds odd to us, who are more highly favoured in 

 these days, to hear, " the Staffordshire farmers " {i.e. in 



* From January Ist he gave up hunting hares, and confined himself entirely 

 to foxes. 



