THE VALUE OF FOXHOUNDS 231 



sold together with young ones, so as to leave some lots 

 with an undue proportion of worn-out veterans ; buyers 

 could not be expected to run into high figures. Twenty- 

 one couples of entered, fourteen and a half couples of 

 unentered, and two couples of brood bitches were sold 

 for 730 gs., 130 gs. being the highest bid, for which 

 price Mr. Burton became the owner of three couples. 



On April 18, 1871, Lord Hastings' horses and 

 hounds were sold, but the fine pack did not fetch the 

 prices anticipated, for twenty-five couples of entered 

 hounds, and two brood bitches, bred from the foremost 

 kennels of the day, and sixteen couples of unentered 

 hounds only realised 348 gs., 80 gs. being bid by 

 Major Barlow, for Sir Edward Kerrison, for four and a 

 half couples. Better luck attended the sale of Lord 

 Wemyss' establishment in the same month, some of 

 the well-bred hounds selling very well. For instance, 

 Mr. Askew gave 415 gs. for five couples of bitches; 

 six couples of dog hounds made 250 gs., two other lots 

 of six couples each, bitches from the large pack, fetched 

 150 gs. each, and the two kennels sold altogether for 

 about 1200 gs., but higher prices might have been 

 realised if the lots had been better put together. 



Prices were not high during this year and the next, 

 when the Rufford were sold at the Gonalston kennels, 

 on which occasion the attendance was limited and the 

 bidding languid ; fifteen and a half couples of dog 

 hounds, fifteen couples of bitches, six couples of un- 

 entered dog hounds, and seven couples of unentered 

 bitches only realised 795 gs.. Lord Lonsdale making the 

 bid of the day (150 gs.) for three couples of bitches. A 

 very different story, however, was told when, in this 

 same month of April, Mr. Tailby sold his dog hounds 

 at Skeffington Hall, for both masters and huntsmen 



