1863] "CECIL'S" ACCOUNT OF THE HOUNDS. 219 



following year two couples and a half; Fancy and Fairy, 

 Racket and Rally, convey her good properties to the 

 present generation. The kennels contain fifty couples of 

 hounds, thirteen couples of which are in their novitiate ; 

 Rallywood, the produce of the Duke of Rutland's Rally- 

 wood and Graceful, is clever and on short legs ; and 

 Valiant, a good-looking black, white, and tan hound, is 

 the issue of Forester and Virgin. Pilgrim by Grappler, 

 his dam Playful, has much character in his favour. Fair- 

 play and Fencer are the issue of Alfred and Fancy, one of 

 the daughters of Red Rose, by the Duke of Beaufort's 

 Foreman ; Fairplay has ingratiated himself wonderfully in 

 favour with Tom Leedham, who pronounces him the best 

 of the year." 



Fairplay did well enough, remaining in the pack 

 till his ninth season, but the pick of the entry proved 

 to be Merrimac, who was so good that he was used as a 

 sire in his second season. 



" There is a good litter by the Duke of Rutland's 

 Agent, consisting of Auditor, Agent, Adelaide, and Ame- 

 thyst. The second of these is a dark black and tan 

 hound, with very little white, with a truly sensible head, 

 significant of fox-killing, and, from what I noticed of him 

 in his work, I was highly pleased with him. Amethyst 

 has length, substance, and symmetry, calculated to in- 

 clude her in the list of future matrons." (She did not 

 fulfil her promise.) " Royal, Rarity, and Relish, in their 

 second season, are doing credit to their parentage. Sir 

 Watkin Wynn's Royal is their sire, and Fancy their dam ; 

 their constitutions are represented as being extremely 

 good, and they afford an example of the great importance 

 of breeding from superlatively good qualities on both 

 sides the escutcheon. Dreadnouofht has been at work four 

 seasons, and is a good-looking hound, with high character. 

 Hebe, a remarkably clever daughter of Hercules and Celia, 

 is of the same age." 



He then goes on to say that scent had been bad in the 

 early part of the season, but after the New Year they had 



