THE WARWICKSHIRE HOUNDS. 



117 



Mr. Henley 



Greaves. 

 1858-1861. 



have not reached the extent that those into the other 

 counties have is not so much to be wondered at, as 

 running from the fine grass vales of Warwickshire 

 into the cold, high lands which lie to the south of it, 

 almost invariably checks the run and the scent is not 

 held long ; but one would have thought that, for that 

 very reason, foxes would of tener have made their points 

 into a district which held out such promises of safety. 

 However, it is all the better for the sport of "the 

 Warwickshire " that they have not done so, and if the 

 grand old foxes of the olden time did not find where 

 their vantage ground lay, I think we may rest assured 

 that their descendants in these — shall I say degenerate ? 

 — days are not likely to spoil the good long days, at 

 present, I am happy to say, frequent, by making the 

 discovery. 



A little above I referred to Mr. Gulliver in connec- Mr. Gulliver. 

 tion with a grey horse purchased from him by Lord 

 Willoughby de Broke. He was a well known figure 

 in sporting circles at this time. He had a large breed- 

 ing stud at SwalcliflFe, in the Warwickshire country, 

 which village, it will be remembered, was the site of the 

 earliest known Warwickshire kennels. He also farmed 

 largely. He was well known over the country, and an 

 unlucky accident while shooting in his earlier days had 

 marked him by depriving him of one arm. One of his 

 best horses, was Big Ben, a thorough-bred stallion, a 

 beautiful dark brown horse, standing over sixteen 

 hands high. In 1860 he started thirteen times and 

 won six and divided one. The next year he started 

 twice and won both. He was bred by Mr. Saxon in 

 1858, by Ethelbert out of Phoebe by Touchstone, her 

 dam Netherton Maid by Sheet Anchor — by Tantivy — 

 Myrtilla by the Flyer. Two stallions, Neville and 

 Grimston, were also conspicuous members of Mr. 

 Gulliver's stock. 



