in the Seventies and Eighties. 97 



conveyed valuable information to Bevans, whose ears were 

 ever ready to receive it, whilst his extraordinary quickness 

 of sight enabled him to view almost to a certainty any 

 fox appearing at any time in the open, whether in front 

 of him, behind or on either side ; it was this eagle's eye, 

 combined with a knowledge of the fox's habitat, on a fine 

 day or wet day, morning or afternoon, that rendered him 

 such an incomparable and reliable finder of the "varmint" 

 at all times, especially in the spring of the year; and it 

 is certain that if in passing by, he once observed a fox's 

 " kennel " or similar indication in rough grass, rushes, 

 whin covert or elsewhere, he never rode past the spot 

 again without a searching crack of the whip, to be so 

 frequently followed by his loud and well drawn out view 

 holloa ! 



Some croakers might say that Bevans was too much 

 wrapped up in the fox to see what hounds were doing, 

 but his eye was upon both, and he could tell you at any 

 ■ moment of the day how many couple of hounds were missing 

 (if any), and their names as well. Strangers often made trial 

 of him in this way, but never caught him napping. He 

 knew most of the foxes in the country by sight (as a shep- 

 herd does his sheep), and once amused Mr. Forbes and his 

 faithful servant, Robin Taylor (who tells the story), at a 

 corner of Fox Hill covert by his remark when a strange 

 fox broke covert, and whipped back again. Bevans was 

 engaged taking up his new leathers a hole, when out 

 popped a fine and apparently fairly old fox close to him, 

 "Well I'm d— d," he burst forth, to think that I've been 

 fifteen years in this country, and seen an old fox that I 

 don't know : I ought to be transported ! " 



Bevans was always scrupulously polite to ladies, and 

 never would say or do anything to offend them if possible. 



