HUNTING TOURS- 157 



ago, I cannot presume to offer an opinion, 

 but it is evidently not so now. The celebrated 

 stud hound, Hermit, whose descendants are 

 widely diffused in many kennels of high 

 repute, affords an instance. He was a son 

 of Mr. Drake's Hector and Goldfinch, a 

 daughter of Lord Yarborougli's Ganymede. 



An appointment to meet at the kennels 

 affords an excellent opportunity to see these 

 hounds, as there is in the immediate vicinity 

 a sufficient proportion of woodland to bring 

 their working powers into effect. More than 

 that, before tliey throw off they are paraded 

 in front of the mansion, a ceremony which 

 arouses the most charming associations of the 

 noble family and their fine old residence, 

 where the truly national sport of foxhunting 

 has been for very many years so fondly 

 cherished. The tempestuous weather that 

 has of late been raging has been anything 

 but conducive to sport, but it has put the 

 hunting properties of hounds, and the talent 

 of their huntsman, to a severe test. The 

 operations of the day commenced in Thistle 

 Wood, the first covert Sebright drew when 

 he came as huntsman to this pack. Here a 

 fox was soon found, and right earnestly the 



