INTRODUCTION. 288 



enjoying which were there so amply afforded, in 

 times past had been wont to ask a multitude of 

 questions on sporting subjects ; which nuisance 

 was at last abated, since the querist was no longer 

 answered, otherwise than by a general reference to 

 the canons of the Oakleigh Shooting Code, which 

 Tom Oakleigh, thus was our sportsman dubbed, 

 had inscribed on a huge scroll in the Hall of Shields, 

 the fine old apartment before spoken of, for 

 the information of all persons unacquainted with 

 the manorial usages and sporting bye-laws of that 

 ancient demesne ! 



Such was the supposed origin of the Shooting 

 Code, a considerable portion of which has been 

 transferred to these pages. 



