53 



" tod " almost every day when they are out shooting, still, 

 when the hounds come, they are non est. This may be 

 accounted for by the fact that there are in Eenfrewshire a " 

 great many capital outlying patches of gorse; and I think if 

 Squires, instead of trusting too much to his regular coverts, 

 were (as Lord Eglinton used to do) to draw his hounds 

 oftener through such places, he might drop on a fox now and 

 then. 



Tuesday, 7th. — Met at Crookston, but the mist was so bad 

 that, after waiting an hour, it was no use, so home was the 

 word. 



Thursday, 9th. — A bye day at the same meet. Found in 

 Crookston, and chopped. Went over to Hawkhead, where a 

 fox was at once on foot. He broke across to Crookston, and 

 on to Pollok, where he was lost. I am sorry to say that the 

 whole of the fine Fereneze country was afterwards drawn 

 blank. 



Saturday, 11th (Bishopton). — This meet in olden times 

 was generally considered the crack one of the season, but 

 times have changed. Knockmountain is not as it used to be. 

 Drew Erskine blank, but the keeper here had the misfortune 

 to lose two foxes in the thaw, they having been drowned by 

 the flooding of a drain. Trotted on to Westferry, which 

 apparently was drawn blank, although it was reported a fox 

 had been seen at the low end. A skedaddle took place from 

 the covert after some young hounds " running riot," the field 

 going off at a score, thinking it was a fox. 



" I can hardly describe all the frolic and fun 

 Which always takes place in the start for a run, 

 But must quote the old proverb, howe'er trite and lame, 

 That the foot-people often see half of the game." 



When the hounds ran up into High Drums Covert a fox went 

 away up through Park-Erskine Glen. Here a gentleman in 

 black tally'd the fox, in covert, and turned him from his 

 point, which was evidently Barscube. Going across Dargavel 

 Burn he turned up to the right, leaving Corslie Covert, and 

 went on to Elphinstone to ground. Very fast while it lasted. 



