Lord Fitzhardinge's. 353 



wealtli unearthed, foxliuuting lias little place; and tlie 

 chase has virtually withdrawn. 



The Kennels, with every advantage of good situa- 

 tion, good water, and the good shelter of the old elms 

 overhanging wide grass yards, are within the precincts 

 of Berkeley Castle. During the period in which the 

 late Earl Fitzhardinge (uncle of the present Master) 

 hunted the " Broadway country " of the Cotswold in 

 addition to his home district, he had kennels also at 

 Andover's Ford, whither he took his hounds for a 

 month at a time. But the main kennels have been at 

 Berkeley Castle, and the pack has been uninterruptedly 

 and munificently maintained, since an Earl of Berkeley 

 first hunted the fox. At the present moment there 

 are about sixty-five couples of hounds in kennel, and 

 their quality is too well known to need comment. It 

 may be set down, however, that excellence in the chase 

 is always held to be the first consideration in selection 

 for breeding purposes. Other claims, especially blood, 

 have their weight; and shape and make are not 

 neglected. But, primarily. Lord Fitzhardinge^s is a 

 hunting pack — with great pace and plenty of music. 

 The old blood in his kennel has done much to benefit 

 other packs (take Mr. Coupland^s, the present Quorn, 

 for example) ; while for new infusions of recent years 

 the chief sources appealed to have been the Badminton, 

 Cotswold, Grove, and Belvoir. 



Gloucester and Bristol would no doubt be found 

 convenient towns whence to hunt with Lord Fitz- 

 hardinge — and the former ofi'ers the variety of a *day 

 apiece with the Ledbury and the Cotswold. But from 

 either it would be necessary, in order to work out four 



