THE BULLERS. 161 



the field had become " smaller by degi-ees and beautifully less," and even the 

 " gluttons " at the sport seemed to have had enough, and their horses also, for 

 we must have been galloping and jumping more or less for about four hours. 

 During this time there was considerable tumbling, if we may judge from eniptj^ 

 saddles, scratched faces, and soiled garments. 



Pink. 



From the Staffordshire Advertiser, April 20tb, 1889 : 



THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HUNT. 



The season was virtually closed in this Hunt at the end of March, there being 

 only a few private meets for the subscribers after that date. The season just 

 closed has been rather a remarkable one. There has been no reason to complain 

 of interference by frost, but the scent has been very variable and partial, some 

 hunts being very fortunate in having a good scent generally, and in others very 

 uncertain and erratic. For instance, take the North and South Cheshire : the 

 former have been more than usually favoured with a good scent generally ; the 

 latter not so. The North Stafford country has not carried its usual average 

 scent this season, changing even in the course of a run, although it must be 

 admitted the flyers of the Hunt can look back with pleasure on many brilliant 

 runs. This country was only cub-hunted three days per week this season in place 

 of four, and consequently not so many were killed ; and, on the principle that 

 *' too many cooks spoil the broth," this has somewhat interfered with the sport, 

 as a fresh fox would often jump up in front of the hounds when the run one was 

 being hard pressed, and which not only spoiled the sport, but saved the life of 

 his friend. There has been no lack of foxes in any part of the country, and the 

 best thanks are due to landlords, covert owners, and tenant farmers. The Master 

 (the Marquis of Stafiford) entertained the members of the covert fund at luncheon 

 at Trentham Hall last month, when the wire question was fully discussed. (The 

 covert fund in this hunt consists principally of farmers.) All present expressed 

 their opinion »-hat the advantages to themselves and others arising from the 

 country being hunted by a pack of foxhounds were considerable, and that any- 

 thing occurring to interfere with the sport would be nothing less than a calamity, 

 and all pledged themselves to do whatever they could to discourage the use of 

 wire in their respective neighbourhoods. It was desired that the actual amount 

 expended on hunting in the North Stafford Hunt should be ascertained, and the 

 hon. secretary was requested to take steps in view of this object. A committee 

 was appointed, consisting of Messrs. Boote, Garde, Wood, Cooper, and Wilkinson, 

 to wait on the landlords and tenants in the Eccleshall district (where wire 

 abounds) to consult them with the object of, if possible, obviating the difficulty. 

 As a good omen, it may be mentioned since the meeting at Trentham several 

 landlords have instructed their agents to remove the wire on their estates. 



Pink. 



No one who has hunted much with the North Staf- 

 fordshire Hounds, any time from the fifties down to the 

 last few years, can think of the Hunt without remember- 

 ing the Buller family, who, from the early fifties down to 

 the end of the eighties, were to be seen in force at nearly 



M 



