BIRD-IN-HAND AND WOOllE. 261 



first fox. The fox from Finson's Hayes did not go ven' straight, although it was 

 .1 nice hunt." 



" March 7th, 1900. Barlaston Village.— YoimA in Newstcad Wood. Had a 

 very quiclc gallop for twenty-tive minutes, and ran him to ground in Kibblestone 

 Gorse. Found a brace on Downs Banks; hounds bustled one about the banks 

 and killed him. Found in Moddcrshall Oaks. Had a nice gallop, and ran to 

 ground in Stallington Park ; dug out and killed. Found in Black Lake. Ran to 

 ground in Stallington Hall gardens. Found in Leacroft. Had a good forty 

 minutes, and beat us in the Nurseries. A fine day, but cold. Hounds ran fast 

 in the open, but no scent in covert. We had a nice day's sport. 



'' March 0th. Marslon. — Found in Hopton Gorse, but did nothing. Found 

 in Cresswell Gorse. Had a very good seventeen minutes, and ran him to ground 

 near the Black Plantation. Drew the plantation blank. Found at Shallowford. 

 Ran nearly to Aston and killed. Drew Cold Norton blank. Found in Micklow 

 Gorse. Had a very good run through Darlaston, back by Swynuerton Grange, the 

 Pilsons, and stopped the hoimds in Swynnerton Park. A fine day and a very 

 enjoyable day's sport. The run from Cresswell Gorse was, I think, the fastest 

 run we have had this season from find to finish. There was a good scent. 



^^ March lOth. Bird-in-FIand. — Drew Bromley Wood blank. Found in 

 1 lose Wood. Had a nice gallop, and ran to ground near Hilderstone. Drew 

 Draycot Gorse, New Close Sprink, and Mr. Dobson's gorse blank. Found in 

 Brindley's Wood. Had a nice run through Sherratt's Wood, Milwich Heath, 

 by Witley Brooks, through Bromley Wood, and ran to ground in New Close 

 Sprink. Found in the New Plantation. Ran fast through Birchwood Park, 

 Siierratt's Wood, and stopped the hounds near Sherratt's house. A fine day, 

 rather windy and cold, but we had a capital day's sport. Hard daj" for hounds. 



" March llth. Woore. — Drew Mill Hay, Admiral's Gorse, Harrow's Wood, 

 and Three Brooks blank. Found in the Canridden. Had a nice gallop by 

 Durrington, over the racecourse (Woore), to the Mill Hay and Finson's Hay, 

 and beat us. Bolted one out of the made earth near Admiral's Gorse. Had 

 another nice little hunt, and beat us at Aston Clitfc. Drew Willoughbridge blank. 

 I lather a cold day, but fine. Not a very good scent, owing to the dry weather." 



The two days from the Bird-in-Haud and Woore are 

 thus recorded in the Staffordshire Advertiser of March 

 17th: 



THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



At the meet of the North Staffordshire Hounds at the Bird-in-Hand on 

 Saturday, there was a good field and some gi-and sport. The Duke of Suther- 

 land hunted the hounds. From Hose Wood a fox got away over Mr. Pointon's 

 farm on to Sherratt's Wood, where he turned right-handed and pointed for 

 Sandon. Another swerve to the right brought him nearly to Hilderstone village, 

 where he went to ground after a very fast thirty minutes. Another at Brindley's 

 Wood allbrded a second fine run, for, getting away towards Sherratt's Wood, the 

 tux rattled merrily along over the Draycot road and on to the Bird-in-Hand. 

 Here he turned right-handed, and, running through a nice piece of country, went 

 ti. ground at New Close Sprink, the run lasting full fifty minutes. A third was 

 discovered near Brindley's Gorse, but after a short chase hounds were stopped, 

 as the day was far advanced. Hunting from the village of Woore, the North 



