I50 STAGHUNTING WITH THE 



furze on their way to St. Audries. Blown 

 though he was, the gallant beast had leapt the 

 high deer fence and entered the park, and the 

 leading hounds, with Michael at their head, 

 were soon pressing him through the square 

 gorse inside, amongst the retreating forms of 

 the park deer, and downwards near the Rectory. 

 Beating up the combe within the deer park, 

 he tried to ascend, but the leading hounds got 

 at him and raced him down again to a gate, 

 by which he got out, the field scattering to 

 right and left. Leaping the chain fence of the 

 churchyard in and out, he staggered on to the 

 house and entered the front conservatory. 

 Amidst a crash of iiower pots and ornamental 

 plants he was borne to the ground and secured. 

 Mr. Elliot Lees, the new Conservative candidate 

 for Taunton, being one of the first to lay hands 

 on him — a task of no slight danger in that 

 conhned space. The head was the finest ever 

 killed in the West Country, numbering four on 

 one top and four and an offer on the other. 

 Some of the measurements are w^orthy of notice : 

 Round outer curve of near horn, 36in. ; width 

 across at the fork, 30jin. from inside to outside ; 

 perpendicular height, 29in. ; size round beam 

 at fork, 7|-in., and same between brow and 

 bay ; outer curve of brows, i4in. 



This head, mounted originally with the hair 

 on, graces the hall at St. Audries, the seat of 



