SPORT IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, 1899. 227 



'^December 28th, 1898. Bird-in-Hand.—ViTevj Fradswell Heath, Birchwood 

 Park, Long Plantation, and Middleton (Jorse blank. Found in Brindley's Wood. 

 Ran a good pace to Fradswell Heath, Birchwood Park, leaving Chartley Park 

 on the right, over a lot of country I did not know in the IMeynell Hunt, but went 

 on through Kingstone Woods into l^agot's Park, and beat us. A good hunting 

 run — a nine-miles point. The run from Brindley's Wood was the best up to this 

 as regards beuig straight ; but Bagot's Woods are not a good place to get into — 

 they are large and full of deer. Rubicon, the horse I rode through the run, died 

 a few minutes after getting home — poor old horse ! 



" January ith, 1899. Black Lake. — Found in Black Lake, and went away 

 at once to the Windmill, then to the gorse, on to Leacrofts, by the Bear Hole to 

 Hose Wood, and Bromley Wood to Hilderstone Wood, through it to Day Hills, 

 back by Hardwick on tlie left, also Peats Hill to Cotwalton Drumble, where he 

 ran to ground, after one of the best runs of the season. Found in Spot Nursery. 

 Had another nice hunt by Black Lake, Stallington, Leacroft, and Fnlford, back 

 through Stallington Heath and the Nurseries down nearly to where the first fox 

 went to ground ; but he got headed in the road, and went back to Moddershall , 

 to the Nurseries. I stopped the hounds, as horses were done up. Rather a 

 dull morning, but a good scenting one. Hounds ran fast for over an hour with- 

 out a check with the first fox from Black Lake. This was the best run of the 

 season up to now. We had a very good hunt from the Nurseries, and stopped 

 the hounds late in the afternoon. Horses were all beat. A good and hard day's 

 sport. 



^^ January 11th, 1899. Sherratfs Wood. — Drew the wood blank. Found 

 a brace in Brindley's Wood. Had a little gallop, a ring, and beat us at Middleton 

 Oreen Gorse. Got on to a line of a fox that had slipped away from Hose Wood, 

 but owing to a storm coming on we could not do much. Found three foxes in 

 Bromlej' Wood. Had a very good run all over; the Draycot country, and ran 

 him to ground near Middleton Gorse. One hour and forty minutes. A very 

 good run. Rather a cold, stormy day. Found plenty of foxes, and had a very 

 good run after tbj storm abated. Nearly a record run: an hour and forty 

 minutes. A good pace all through ; but we must have changed foxes. I don't 

 think one could have stood up so long at the pace hounds went. 



" February 11th, 1899. Befhy.— Brew the gorse blank. Found in the belt 

 near. Hunted him slowly to Foxley Drumble, where we got up to him ; then 

 had a fast gallop round by Foxley, back by Barthomle}^ and killed in Mill Dale. 

 Another fox went away from the Dale, but did nothing with him. Found a brace 

 in Foxley Gorse. Hounds rattled one about the covert and killed ; the other went 

 away at the same time. Put hounds on to him, and had a good twenty-five 

 minutes. Ran him to ground in a drain near Bignall End; bolted him and 

 killed. A nice day's sport. This country is doing very well this season. 



" Fehruary 14th, 1899. Bird-in-Eand.—DrQVf Fradswell Heath and Birch- 

 wood Park blank. Found in Brindley's Wood. After taking a turn round the 

 wood, he went away towards Middleton Green ; then back by the Pool, through 

 Birchwood Park, nearly to Chartley ; back to Middleton Gorse, to Draycot New 

 Gorse, Hose Wood ; then by Painsley Hall, Saverley Green on the left, Leacroft, 

 Stallington Grange, Black Lake, Stallington Heath, the Nursery, Schoolhouse 

 Wood ; back by Stallington Park, nearly to the Grange, Leacroft, Saverley Green, 

 and Painsley Hall. Here hounds got on good terms with their fox, and raced 

 along to the New Gorse, back through Hose Wood, nearly to Bromley Wood ; 

 then short to the right by the New Buildings Farm, down the hill, leaving the 

 Hose Wood on the right. Hounds raced up to their fox and killed him in good 



