THE WARWICKSHIRE HOUNDS. 



177 



The year 1878 was commenced well with a fine run 

 of forty-five minutes from Calcot Spinney to Shuck- 

 burgh, on the^4th of January, in which the Master and 

 his brother, the Hon. and Rev. W. R. Verney, with 

 Captain Pritchard-Rayner, were in front throughout. 

 On the 24th they met at Lower Shuckburgh, when the 

 Empress of Austria, piloted by Captain Middleton, 

 with Prince Lichtenstein and Count Almassy, 

 was present. On this day there was nothing 

 done in the morning, but in the afternoon they 

 found at Shuckburgh Hall and got away in the 

 direction of Staverton Wood ; but he turned 

 to the left, and went straight for Flecknoe, where 

 he turned to the right by the village, and went over 

 those splendid grass fields between Braunston and 

 Staverton. The Braunston Brook was crossed and 

 the line laid for Welton Place in the Pytchley coun- 

 try, which was seven miles, as the bird flies, from 

 Shuckburgh. Here the fox saved bis brush in the open 

 earths. 



On April 2nd, 1878, Orvia was presented with a 

 silver horn and a purse of 230 sovereigns in recogni- 

 tion of his indefatigable exertions to show sport, and 

 his courteous behaviour to all the field during the 

 seven or eight years he had hunted " the Warwick- 

 shire. " The money was presented in a purple velvet 

 purse beautifully embroidered, the work of Lady 

 Willoughby de Broke. The presentation was made by 

 Lord Camperdown at a dinner at the White Lion 

 Hotel, Banbury. 



In May, 1878, Shepherd left and went as first whip to 

 Sir Bache Cunard, and J. Boore and C. Loman whip- 

 ped-in to Orvis. The season 1878-9 was productive of 

 some admirable sport. Hardly a week passed with- 

 out a run of the real good sort, which must have 

 gladdened the heart of the noble master, and been an 

 ample reward for the untiring exertion he had made to 



Lord 



Willoughby de 



Broke. 



The Empress of 

 Austria in the 

 Shuckburgh 

 countr}'. 



Presentation 

 Orvis. 



to 



Sport in 

 1878-9. 



