WILD LIFE NEAR LONDON 185 



and partridges to be found here, and last time the beagles 

 [the West Surrey Beagles are kennelled in the neighbour- 

 hood] drew the common they found four hares and ran 

 one right away to Banstead." 



" How about the foxes ? Have they worried you 

 keepers much since hounds stopped hunting this part of 

 the country? " 



" Well, there are still a few foxes left in the coverts, 

 sir, but they don't trouble us very much. But what do 

 you think we found harbouring in Winterdown Wood, 

 which is just across the common yonder, a few weeks ago ? 

 Why, a badger weighing 33! pounds ! " went on the 

 keeper; adding, "The Squire didn't like to kill the 

 brock, but it destroyed so many clutches of pheasant 

 eggs that it had to go. We were digging hard for nine 

 solid hours before we got the beast out of its earth, and 

 it was the biggest badger I ever set eyes on." 



"It is good to know that there is some wild life still 

 to be found within fourteen miles of London," said my 

 companion as we walked through the golden-blossomed 

 gorse. We agreed that it was very good. 



