128 The Fox Terrier. 



accident, and I need scarely say that "hole in the wall" 

 was carefully plastered up. 



Of course there are some terriers that will take more 

 naturally to work than others, but any of mine, when once 

 they got to go underground, could scarcely be kept above 

 the surface. That son of old Brockenhurst Rally, who 

 distinguished himself during a run with the Belvoir a few 

 seasons ago, must have been one of the precocious variety. 

 He was only about seven months old when the above 

 hounds ran a fox to ground in a drain near to where the 

 puppy (belonging to the Messrs. Clarke) was being 

 reared. Without any preparatory lesson, when asked to 

 do so, the pup speedily followed reynard through all the 

 sinuosities of a long drain, ultimately bolting him, and this 

 much to the delight of the field. Mr. A. H. Clarke also tells 

 me that some years ago he had a tan marked bitch, 

 " Gedling Tidy," who ran for seven seasons with the South 

 Notts hounds, and was so staunch to fox that she would 

 never look at ground game or vermin of any kind. By no 

 means was it unusual for this bitch, when hounds were at 

 fault, to work out a cold line, and actually lead the pack 

 across the first field, when, scent becoming warmer, of 

 course hounds soon left their little friend in the rear. 



No doubt Tidy was a bitch far beyond the ordinary 

 standard, and when she died she bore the hall-marks of her 

 excellence. Still, any one who has kept and worked 

 terriers will be able to enlarge upon equally doughty deeds 

 their favourites have accomplished. I was once offered a 

 good looking bitch, whose excellences were pointing 

 partridges and retrieving them when shot. Some of my 

 own have often been found useful on a grouse moor late 

 in the season, working within twenty yards, and preventing 



