1890] THREE FULL GALLOPS. 161 



There was no overriding hounds this time, and it seems to be generally agreed 

 that the Doctor on his black horse took premier honours up to the finish of this 

 splendid run. 



Thursday, 26th, Stenson Lock. The prospect of a run from Hell Meadows, 

 Christmas holidays, and the short distance (four miles) from Derby, drew together 

 an immense field, who were gathered at the Stenson Fields corner, ready to 

 charge down the lane if pug took our favourite line across the meadows ; but one 

 young gentleman, who ought to have known better, posted himself nearly at the 

 bottom of the lane with about a score of pedestrians round him. The three other 

 sides of the covert were surrounded by hundreds of foot people, who lustily 

 greeted the fox each time he tried to get away. Our only hope was that he 

 would face our friend at the bottom of the lane. More than once he inspected 

 the group, but each time turned back ; and seeing that if this continued he must 

 be chopped, hounds were called away, and we soiTOwfully trotted off to Mr. 

 D'Arcy Clark's coverts at Burnaston. Here we quickly found, and ran fast to 

 Egginton Gorse, where he apparently meant to stay with another of the species, 

 but was forced out on the side next the Sewage Farm, which he crossed ; but though 

 no time was lost, hounds were unable to distinguish which of the many scents in 

 the air had been left by the fox ; tliey took it — or thought they did — slowly back 

 to Burnaston, where it had to be given up. Hilton Gorse was untenanted, and 

 most of the field went home, though Pennywaste was afterwards drawn. I did 

 not hear the result. 



Much has been written about mange among the Meynell foxes. I hope and 

 believe it is dying out ; and I think it would entirely disappear with the death of 

 the diseased ones, if hounds were not so frequently overridden when scent is 

 catchy. 



Red Roax. 



It froze from December 29th to January 5th, but there 

 were at least three good gallops in the first month of the 

 new year, which is not bad. The first of these was 

 from Radburne Rough, nearly to Trusley, where they 

 turned to the right to within two fields of Parson's Gorse, 

 past Nether Burrows, leaving Langley village on the right 

 and Wild Park on the left, and Mugginton village on the 

 same side. From here they ran through Ravensdale Park, 

 losing their fox close to Mercaston Stoop after a very 

 fine run of one hour. 



Again, on the 20th, every one went home delighted 

 with a splendid gallop of thirty-five minutes from Shirley 

 Park, This fox, like many another good one, could not 

 be induced to quit his quarters till he thought he had a 

 little advantage over his pursuers. And he was right, for 

 when he did go he found that they could go too. Very 

 fast they went between Shirley village and Hollington, to 



