Captain tlrotter 241 



burst." Another time they are quite disgusted 

 because they are going to try what they choose to 

 call "that wretched place Owston Wood" first, 

 simply because they don't care to go inside the 

 covert, as the rides are a bit heavy. I always say, 

 Go to the big woods first thing ; you can't have your 

 horses too fresh, or your hounds and huntsman too 

 keen. Then, if you are lucky enough to get away 

 with the first wild fox, you have a chance of a gallop ; 

 and if you happen to run to one of the smaller 

 coverts, you have a chance of bustling your fox 

 through without changing. I don't mean to say this 

 is always the case ; but you certainly are not so likely 

 to change foxes as if you went to the smaller coverts 

 first, and ran up to one of the large woods, which is 

 generally the case. You then have your gorse 

 coverts for the afternoon. I have seen many a good 

 run in Mr. Tailby's time from Owston and Launde 

 Woods, the first thing in the morning- ; but I think 

 there were more wild foxes then than now, and 

 certainly not so many people in the fields. 



I remember when Captain Trotter — who was 

 afterwards Master of the Meath Hounds in Ireland 

 — was quartered first at Birmingham and afterwards 

 at Coventry, and used to come out with Mr. Tailby, 

 generally on Saturdays. He was one of the hardest 



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