NOTITIA VENATICA. 167 



really consider, if it was not the best run I was over witness to in my 

 life, the fox was killed in the most handsome and satisfactory manner 

 to mo, in one of the most severe and difficult countries in England for a 

 huntsman and hounds to perform in. 



In Decemher, 1835, my hounds found a fox at Birchley Hayes, a 

 large wood lying to the right of the London and Birmingham road. 

 Upon going away he ran through Mcriden Shafts — a large cover, the 

 property of Lord Aylesford — vnth. a hurning scent ; and passing through 

 the whole of the Packington woodlands, made the host of his way to 

 Tyle Hill, a distance of ahout seven miles, the hoimds carrying an ex- 

 traordinary head through the whole of this difficult country, intersected 

 as it is with rough ground and covers in every direction Avithout experi- 

 encing the slightest check. From this point the fox turned rather to 

 the left, and passing through Crackley Wood, made his point to a small 

 head of earths close to Stoneleigh village, hut which he found stopped, 

 and continued his course over the river Avon, evidently determined to 

 save his life in the Great Weston Woods. At Stoneleigh village we 

 experienced our first check, having now come ahout eleven miles in fifty- 

 three minutes over a most rasping and severe woodland coimtry. 



By a fortunate east towards Stoneleigh Mill, the hounds recovered 

 their fox ; and hitting him over the water, set to running very'ihard in a 

 direction for Waveley Wood, the whole field of horsemen being com- 

 pletely thrown out for a time, as it was necessary to cross the river by 

 a bridge which lay considerably to the right of the fox's line. 



The hounds were brought to check in the field next to Waveley 

 Wood by a large flock of sheep, which gave the horsemen time to come 

 up ; Avhen the fox, which had been turned from his point by a shepherd 

 and his dog, was once more recovered ; and from that point the pack, 

 who were evidently running hard for their fox, drove him in gallant style 

 to Bubbenhall Wood, through which they rang his kneU with the 

 sweetest melody. Here he was actually viewed by the hounds ; but in 

 a last effort found strength once more to face the open, over which the 

 hounds fairly raised him in view, and driving him into Ryton Wood — a 

 cover of two hundred acres — killed him in the middle of it, and within a 

 hundred yards of the main head of earths, which were then open, after 

 a most brilliant and satisfactory nm of one hour and thirty-seven 

 minutes, through a country beset on every side with deep and holding 

 woodlands and fences almost impracticable. The hounds, however, had 

 two points especially in their favour, one of which was a real burning 

 scent, and the other a straight and determined fox. The distance 

 traversed was about fourteen miles, and the number of large covers 

 passed through were nine or ten. 



Without enumerating any of the long list of first-rate runs to which 

 I have myself been witness during my hunting career, I wiU content 

 myself by transcribing from " the Journal of the Operations of the Bel- 

 voir Fox-hounds" a run which took place on December 10, 1805, and 

 which has justly been pronounced as one of the best runs ever recorded. 

 There will be no imaginary conversation between imaginary persons 

 introduced, no line of country selected to serve the purpose ; and 



