THE VALUE OF FOXHOUNDS 241 



that it is nothings like the price given by Mr. W. M. Wrough- 

 ton for Mr. Austin Mackenzie's pack. Mr. McNeill's bitches 

 had also earned a g^reat reputation for tongfue and also for 

 catching- their foxes. Hunting ninety-two days last season 

 they killed ninety-seven foxes, a grand record in so difficult a 

 country. 



A private sale of importance took place in connec- 

 tion with the Morpeth hounds, when Mr. Clayton 

 Swan gave up the country in 1902. The elected 

 master, Mr. A. B. Cresswell, who had been in com- 

 mand of the adjoining Percy country for six seasons, 

 gave 3000 gs. for the pack. As it happened, Mr. 

 Cresswell never took up his mastership, but the pack 

 was transferred to Mr. F. B. Atkinson, the present 

 master, at, it was said, a discount of ^300. In 1907 the 

 South Cheshire bitch pack were sold at Rugby for 

 £"1700, and in June of the present year (1908) Mr. 

 Wroughton's Woodland Pytchley pack were disposed 

 of at the same place, for a total of 4321 gs. To go 

 a little into detail, seven and a half couples of un- 

 entered dog hounds made 227 gs., seven couples of 

 entered dogs 572 gs., four stallion hounds 360 gs., 

 eight couples of unentered bitches 751 gs., twelve and 

 a half couples of entered bitches 2035 gs., and 

 brood bitches and whelps 376 gs. And just as 

 this volume goes to press another very big private 

 sale has taken place. Lord Leconfield buying fifteen 

 couples of the Atherstone for 2000 gs. Of these ten 

 couples were entered and five couples unentered hounds, 

 and the average works out at a little over 132 gs. a 

 couple. In the case of unentered hounds, truly a very 

 high price, but Lord Leconfield had the right to 

 choose from the whole pack, including several recent 

 Peterborough winners. 

 16 



