HUNTING 187 



own, and putting all other packs, save only that 

 of the Duke of Richmond, which stood in an unique 

 position, into the category of "strange packs." 

 He had, however, as far as we know, no pack 

 of his own, and therefore by "giving his name" 

 to the existing local pack of Mr. Gilbert, he not 

 only constituted them the " pack of the county," 

 but entitled its followers to wear the royal button 

 of the Lord Warden of that date, with the " Crown 

 and the Stirrup" emblem of the New Forest en- 

 graved upon it. The button was identical with 

 that worn by the keepers and all other servants 

 of the Lord Warden. But when first I inquired 

 of my companions in the hunting field, how it 

 came about that they 'wore a royal button on 

 their hunting coats, I could not find any one 

 who could enlighten me, and even at the present 

 date there are plenty of people who suppose that 

 they wear a crown on their buttons in right of a 

 subscription to the New Forest Foxhounds, and 

 have never thought out the reason why this par- 

 ticular pack should be privileged to wear the 

 royal emblem. It is, of course, not really a 

 "hunt button" at all, and is shared with the 

 followers of the chase, by all the keepers, under 

 keepers, and other servants of the Crown who 

 wear a Crown livery. But it is an ancient his- 

 torical emblem, of which the wearers may be far 



