AYR TO ARDROSSAN. 293 



or nineteen litters in the country every year, and his 

 lordship has put down several brace as well ; but 

 still, despite all his exertions, there has been a " fox 

 famine,^'' and they have once or twice left off before 

 their time. Many of the gorses have only been 

 planted within the last three seasons, and there is 

 very little good lying ; and if the foxes are driven 

 out of the country, there is no outlying pack on the 

 hills to bring them back. Sourlie Wood, near the 

 kennels, is generally a sure find, and so is the stick 

 cover of three acres, which they draw with the ter- 

 riers. The trains suit them well enough, and the 

 hounds are also vanned for the long distances, and, 

 in fact, never did master struggle harder to deserve 

 success. 



The late Earl seldom hunted here even in Sir 

 David Baird^s day, and for the grouse shooting he 

 went to Cleuchearn, beyond Eaglesham. Curling, 

 bowls, golf, and rackets were his delight; and his 

 racket player, Patrick Divitt, and the Hon. 

 Mr. Montgomerie were making the tennis-court 

 rattle again when we looked in. The late earl did 

 not begin rackets till he was 35 or 36, and 

 then Sir H. H. Campbell and all the county 

 gentry came and had great matches at Christmas. 

 In summer, his example set all the Ayrshire farmers 

 off bowling. He would come down in the beginning 

 of July, and play matches every week till nearly the 

 middle of October. Hugh Conn, John Napier, and 

 Walter Smith, V.S., played in his bowling, and 



