278 THE COMPLETE FOXHUNTER 



hounds on foot, whereas Mr. Greenwell rode, and this 

 doubtless made it of less consequence whether hounds 

 were delayed a minute or two. The Darlington, even 

 then, before the days of the Harrier Stud Book, were 

 an even and a smart pack, and one hound named 

 Crowner was the best road hunter we ever saw. Many 

 of them were somewhat light in colour, but they had 

 wonderful nose, great drive, and were very free with 

 their tongues when running a hare. On more than 

 one occasion they killed five hares in a day on the 

 Broomshields estate, but they began early and left off 

 late, and there were more hares on the ground than 

 there had been in Mr. Greenwell's time. 



And whilst the Darlington were still coming to Broom- 

 shields, something like once a month, Mr. J. E. Roger- 

 son, who has been master of the North Durham 

 foxhounds since 1888, took over the Durham Beagles, 

 and paid frequent visits to the place. About this 

 time, too, the Shotley Bridge Beagles came into 

 existence, and for three or four seasons were monthly 

 visitors to the Broomshields estate. These were the 

 smallest pack (in height) which we ever saw in a big- 

 stone-wall country, but they got along somehow, 

 though at times there was some delay. The Shotley 

 Bridge pack, of which Mr. J. A. K. Falconer was 

 master, were pure beagles of from fifteen to sixteen 

 inches, and the field was on foot. The hounds were 

 immensely popular with the farmers, and whereas 

 Mr. Greenwell's harriers ten or twelve years before 

 used to attract half a dozen mounted men, the whole 

 country-side, including scores of ladies, would be 

 present on foot when the Shotley Beagles were hunting 

 over the same ground. This we attribute very largely 

 to the fact that in the late eighties beagling was 



