60 



keeper, for his excellent show of foxes, and he ably carries out 

 the views of the lessee of the shooting, to take care of them 

 like " babies." I am sorry to hear very bad accounts of 

 " vulpecidism" on the march of the county; but I am informed 

 that the statement made as to the number of foxes killed is 

 very much exaggerated. I have another grievance, " wire," 

 which, I am sorry to say, is becoming prevalent in our best 

 country, and I can only conclude this account by Whyte 

 Melville's protest: — 



" You may bore the blackthorn and top tbe oak rail, 

 Here courage can serve, and there craft can avail ; 

 The seasoned old horse does his timber with ease, 

 The young 'uns jump water as wide as you please ; 

 But the wisdom of age, and the four-year-old's fire. 

 Are helpless alike if you ride 'em at wire." 



The above day's sport was, taking it all in all, one of the 

 best I ever saw; and my only regret was that the gentleman 

 with the umbrella arrived too late to see any of the fun. 



BRILLIANT RUN WITH THE LANARKSHIRE 

 AND RENFREWSHIRE FOX-HOUNDS. 



Sir, — It is a curious fact that very often when the Colonel 

 takes the hounds down to Renfrewshire for a day's cub- 

 hunting they have a "clipper," and on Saturday last one of 

 the best runs took place over the cream of their country that 

 the Colonel tells me he has ever seen. The meet was 

 Kilmalcolm, and it was much to be regretted that there were 

 so few out even cub-hunting, as, although the ten o'clock train 

 to Kilmalcolm only stopped for riders, still, if they had con- 

 sulted their time tables, they would have found that Port- 

 Glasgow would have suited quite as well, as it is only about 

 three miles from there to Craigmarlock, the first covert drawn. 

 Did not draw Aucheubothie Gorse, but trotted on to Craig- 

 marlock, where a brace, if not a leash, of foxes were on foot. 



