MR. J. COUPLAND 339 



lightly, hounds were constantly forcing gates away and 

 running about all over the place. A boarded stage 

 on the grass did duty for flagstones, while a covered 

 pavilion was spacious enough to protect any reasonable 

 number of people from sun or rain. The day was 

 certainly unfavourable, for rain fell intermittently ; but 

 the capacity of the pavilion was not put to a very severe 

 test, for the spectators numbered no more than about 

 a hundred. Mr. Henry Villebois, Mr. Hope Barton, 

 and Mr. Leicester Hibbert were the judges, and in 

 Class II., for the best two couples of entered dog 

 hounds, the Quorn were successful with Watchman, 

 Alfred, Comrade, and Rattler ; while in another class, 

 for the best two couples of entered hounds under 

 twenty-three inches, the Quorn were again to the fore. 

 The Quorn Alfred gained the championship for entered 

 hounds, and the same famous hound brought to Tom 

 Firr a cup given by Messrs. Spratt, for the huntsman 

 of the pack showing the best hound in the show. 

 Among the other competing packs were the Queen's 

 stacrhounds, the Duke of Beaufort's, the Old Berkshire, 

 the Blackmore Vale, Brocklesby, Essex, North Here- 

 fordshire, Lord Portsmouth's, East Essex, West Kent, 

 and the West Norfolk. 



Only a week or two later there was another hound 

 show at Driffield, on which occasion the rival kennels 

 were the Burton, the North Shropshire, Quorn, 

 Brocklesby, the Fitzwilliam, Mr. Cradock's (now the 

 Marquis of Zetland's), the Tynedale, Sir Harcourt 

 Johnston's, the York and Ainsty, Rufford, and Bramham 

 Moor. Parson Russell, from Devonshire, Sir Reginald 

 Graham, and Mr. John Hill were the judges ; and here 

 the Quorn were again successful in the two-couple class 

 with Watchman, Alfred, Rattler and Comrade, while 

 Alfred showed his merit by again obtaining honours as 

 the best hound in the show, 



