LORD NAAS, 1857-1862 



Two years later Goodall wrote a letter which 

 seems to point to rabies among the pack. 



'' I would have written to tell you of the mad- 

 ness. ... I directly applied the hot iron to each of 

 those that were bitten: they are all apparently well 

 up to this, and am in hopes they will continue so. 



" If there is no better account of foxes after this 

 month (May, i860) we shall have to hunt hares next 

 season. Mr Robert told me last week that there 

 was not a litter on the Enfield side nor any in 

 Tallaght Hill, Belgard, Castlebagot, Kilteel, Kil- 

 bride, Three Castles or Downshire, a serious loss in 

 Kildare." 



I find a letter of the same date to Lord Naas from 

 Mr Robert Kennedy on the same subject of foxes; 

 there was obviously a bad season for foxes in 

 1 859-60. Mr Kennedy reported cubs at Palmerstown, 

 a strong litter at Bishopscourt, one at Furness, and 

 the probability of another at the same place which 

 had not shewn. On the other hand the vixen had 

 been killed at Kerdiffstown and there was a strong 

 probability of the cubs there starving. Mr 

 Kennedy concludes with the ominous remark, 

 " You want twenty-five brace of cubs; it is most 

 important." 



Many of the senior members of the Hunt still 

 remember Stephen Goodall, and Mr Robert Ken- 

 nedy, who perhaps knew him better than anyone, 



255 



