MARQUIS OF HASTINGS 299 



Cornelius Tongue, who wrote as " Cecil," and John 

 Walker, who had left Sir Watkin Wynn two years 

 previously ; and they gave first prize to three couples 

 of the Ouorn bitches — 



Dainty, 5 years, by Quorn Albert — Ouorn Dainty ; Harriet 

 and Heroine, 4 years, by Worcestershire Sportsman — Quorn 

 Honesty ; Needful, 3 years, by Drake's Castor — his Needful ; 

 Music, 3 years, by Quorn Marmion — Quorn Niobe ; Violet, by 

 Lord Yarborough's Freeman — his Violet. 



I have found a note about this show to the effect 

 that the Quorn three couples were " a nice level lot, 

 without any pretensions to extraordinary symmetry." 

 To-day they would perhaps hardly be up to Peter- 

 borough form. 



This Birmingham hound-show appears to have been 

 conducted upon altogether new lines. Some clever 

 person took it into his head that the public would be 

 attracted and amused if all the hounds were mixed up 

 together into one big pack, and paraded in the ring by 

 a huntsman and two whippers-in, mounted on horses 

 which had taken prizes ; and, strangely enough, this 

 queer suggestion commended itself to the executive. To 

 the huntsman of the Quorn fell the dubious honour of 

 playing the principal part in this comedy. He by no 

 means appreciated the distinction, for he was perfectly 

 well aware that a show-hunter was not synonymous with 

 a hunter warranted not to kick hounds, and knew that in 

 the event of his mount kicking, one of his own hounds 

 would be the probable victim, as they would actually be 

 nearest to him. Shortly before the parade the hounds 

 were fed to order of the authorities — the reader may 

 guess the sequel : the arena was promptly cleared. 



The Marquis of Hastings' second and last season 

 was not productive of good sport. Pike, who had 

 proved himself a very capable huntsman in 1866-67, 



