PRIVATE COURSING 135 



which the poisoned dogs would certainly have lost 

 had they run, and that several of the bookmakers who 

 had laid against them overnight offered to scratch 

 their bets when they became aware of the state of the 

 case. I believe that some years ago many similar 

 cases were brought to notice ; but the surroundings 

 of public coursing are happily much clearer than they 

 once were, and the National Coursing Club has of 

 late lieen terribly but justly severe when cases of fraud 

 have been brouglu under their notice. 



