The Duke of Beaufort's. 269 



yearly cub-lmntiug being done between here and 

 Box well. 



The splendid pack of hounds kennelled at Bad- 

 minton dates back to about the year 1728; and the 

 present Duke of Beaufort took over the heirloom 

 with his title in 185o. In recent years the chief 

 sources from which new strains have been brought 

 into the pack have been the Grove and Brocklesby 

 Kennels, while all along the Dukes of Beaufort and the 

 Earls of Portsmouth have exchanged good offices in 

 this direction. All his Grace^s tenants, both iu 

 Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire, are in the habit 

 of walking puppies ; and many of the farmers in North 

 Wilts have also taken puppies in recent years. Al- 

 together some fifty or sixty couple are sent out 

 annually. Lord Worcester has now hunted the 

 hounds (five days a week) for fourteen years with 

 undisputed success. As a proof of what a large and 

 thoroughly preserved country can stand — and what 

 energy can achieve — it may be noted that he] killed 

 no less than ninety-two brace of foxes last season. 



Chippenham is no doubt the most convenient 

 quarter, from whence to command the Duke^s country, 

 being fairly near the centre of it, and also having 

 direct railway communication with London (about 

 two hours and a half via Swindon and Paddington). 

 Malmesbury has also the latter advantage; but is 

 more on the outskirts of the country, though well 

 placed for the meets of the Y.W.H. as well. Tet- 

 bury again, it is only about four miles from Malmes- 

 bury Station, and is convenient enough for all the 

 Northern fixtures. 



