230 THE COMPLETE FOXHUNTER 



700 gs., Lord Curzon taking the dog pack with the 

 larger bitches. At the 1870 sale, which took place at the 

 kennels, it need hardly be said that the bidding was 

 keen, the chief buyers being the Duke of Grafton, Sir 

 Algernon Peyton, the Hon. Mark Rolle, and Major 

 Browne, twenty-one and a half couples of old hounds 

 realising 3170 gs., or an average of nearly 148 gs. a 

 couple, while the young hounds sold for 195 gs., or 

 nearly 22 gs. a couple. Sir A. Peyton purchased three 

 and a half couples for 600 gs., a similar sum being paid 

 by Major Browne for three couples. Within the same 

 week the Atherstone came to the hammer, owing to 

 Lord Curzon giving up, but here fifty-eight and a half 

 couples of old hounds only realised 565 gs., or rather 

 under 10 gs. a couple, and fourteen and a half couples 

 of young ones 140 gs., making a grand total of 705 gs.. 

 Sir A. Peyton paying the best price, viz. 100 gs. for 

 five couples. Though the pack in shape and make were 

 not in those days quite up to the standard of what is con- 

 sidered a first-class kennel, it certainly was not expected 

 that many lots would go at draft price, or little over it. 

 On the 26th April, 1870, another great hound sale 

 took place, when for the second time in four years the 

 Bicester kennel was broken up. Better fortune attended 

 the venture, however, for fifty-one and a half couples of 

 entered hounds, six brood bitches, and twenty-eight 

 couples of unentered hounds, realised 1400 gs., or an , 

 average of about 17 gs. a couple, the best price being 

 paid by Major Browne, who bid 150 gs. for five couples 

 of entered hounds. The last sale of this season took 

 place on May 6, when Lord Rendlesham's pack was 

 sold at Ipswich. Owing to the unsatisfactory arrange- 

 ments of the various lots, however, poor prices ruled, 

 for then six, seven, and eight year old hounds were 



