The Foxhound. 85 



awards in the most friendly spirit imaginable A 

 day at Peterborough is one that hunting men look 

 forward to as a kind of connecting link between 

 that time when hounds race on a burning scent, and 

 when they are the pets of the household. Almost 

 all the best foxhounds of the day are to be seen at 

 Peterborough Show, and no prospective Master 

 should miss the gathering ; few of the present 

 Masters do so. 



Already I have mentioned the odd price for which 

 Merkin was sold, but it seems rather strange that 

 w^hilst comparatively useless dogs of a purely fancy 

 breed occasionally bring from ;^5oo to ;^iooo 

 apiece, a whole pack of foxhounds may often 

 be purchased for the latter sum, or even for less. 

 There are hounds that a master would not sell at any 

 price, but if he would there could scarcely be the 

 demand for them at such enormous figures as a 

 terrier, a sheep dog, or a St. Bernard will often com- 

 mand. Mr. Corbet bought that crack pack the 

 North Warwickshire for 1500 guineas, but John 

 Ward paid 2000 guineas for the same hounds when 

 they went into his hands. Mr. Osbaldeston knew 

 what he was about when, in 1806, he purchased the 

 Burton for 800 guineas; but when the '^ Squire's" 

 hounds came to be sold at Tattersall's in 1840, 

 they realised 5219 guineas (Sir Reginald Graham 



