156 THE WARWICKSHIRE HOUNDS. 



Mr. H. Spbncbr hunting," has so few instances of disaffec- 

 1866-1876. tion to record, is a matter for much con- 



gratalation. A case, however, occurred at about 



the time of which I am writing. On Monday, Febru- 

 ary 20th, 1871, the meet was Pebworth village, and as 

 the hounds were passing through Quinton Lane on 

 their way to the rendezvous, two of the dogs fell dead. 

 At Pebworth two more expired and shortly after three 

 others died. They were conveyed to the Red Horse 

 Hotel, at Stratford, and afterwards taken to Kineton 

 for a, post-mortem examination. It was said that three 

 also died as the pack was going through the village of 

 Teddington. It is quite unnecessary for me to make 

 any remark upon the state of feeling aroused by this 

 event. This case, however, does not stand alone, for 

 within a comparatively short time we find a repetition. 

 On December 8th, 1874, the hounds met at Adming- 

 ton House, and started in the direction of Preston 

 Bushes. Here they were put in, but it was shortly 

 afterwards observed that some of the dogs showed 

 symptoms of poison, to which it is stated, nine suc- 

 cumbed. A similar fate had awaited some of Lord 

 Coventry's hounds while hunting in the same neigh- 

 bourhood about the time of the earlier instance given 

 above. 



A good run from One ot the best things of the season of 1872-3 was, 

 Fenny Comp- perhaps, that from Fenny Compton on February 14tb. 

 Watergall was blank but Ladbroke Gorse provided no 

 less than three. The hounds were quickly off with no 

 less than two or three hundred starters, a number, how- 

 ever, which was quickly reduced. The line, it is almost 

 superfluous to say, was over a grass country, with 

 rails and big ditches in abundance, and as the latter on 

 this occasion were mostly full of snow, falls were 

 plentiful. He laid his line to Upper Radbourn and then 

 turned for Prior's Marston, where a short check occurred, 

 which, however, was scarcely long enough to give 

 tnreathiDg time. After 25 minutes, a *' view halloa" was 



