CHESHIRE UNDER DUKE OF WESTMINSTER 89 



of my visit J. Molyneux, owing to Champion being 

 disabled, was hunting the dog-hounds in the country 

 by Wrenbury, but some three couples had been 

 kept at home, so that we might see them. The 

 dog-hounds numbered nineteen couples, against sixty 

 couples of bitches, for it is necessary to send to 

 walk a great number of whelps, to ensure large 

 entries. Looking through the lists, we noted that 

 the best kennels of the day had been selected for 

 fresh blood, and these included the Belvoir, Brock- 

 lesby and Atherstone, nicking with the breeding of 

 the Cheshire bitches boasting such ancestry as 

 Belvoir Senator ; Grove Furrier ; York and Ainsty, 

 Falstaff and Windsor ; Meynell Linkboy ; and War- 

 wickshire Harper. For a grass country like the 

 Cheshire, where the following is always large and 

 competitive, quickness and activity are absolutely 

 essential qualities for a hound, and the pack col- 

 lectively looked built for speed, without anything 

 in the way of lumber. 



The fame of Mr Wroughton's Spanker (1900), 

 we knew about, so were glad to make the acquaint- 

 ance of old Dry den, his son, a five season hunter, 

 and top hound of the 1906 entry. Well coupled 

 up, and near the ground, he had the right stuff and 

 quality to commend him for a stallion hound. 

 Appearance, as regards colour and coat, was all 

 against him, being conspicuously rusty amongst a 

 well-groomed assembly, but none of his stock which 

 we saw in the kennel seemed to inherit this peculi- 

 arity. Champion told us that Dryden was first- 

 rate in his work, a most trustworthy line-hunter 

 on cold-scenting plough, and his huntsman re- 

 marked, " He has not a lazy bone in his body." 

 Another stud - hound of the same year, also by 

 Mr Wroughton's Spanker, was Crowner, third 



