The Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire Hunt. 23 



When the late Mr. Archibald W. Finlayson and Miss Finlayson were 

 living at Merchiston a very successful fixture was held here on 23rd January. 

 A Wraes fox set the fun going, and it was a good gallop by Elphinstone and 

 Gallowhill to Knockmountain, from which they ran over Barscube Hill by 

 Mid Glen, back by Elphinstone to Wraes. A brace of foxes were in front 

 of the pack as they entered here, and it was evidently a fresh one that took 

 them on to Botherickfield, where the day came to an end. 



A most unusual incident occurred with the pack on 30th January. 

 The meet was at Southbar, and a fox was put off a ledge of rock in the 

 quarry leading from Park Strip. Hounds hunted him by Rashylea into 

 Southbar and then ran by Shilton Rough to the right of Bishopton village 

 by Slateford to West Ferry. Forcing him away again, the pilot made for the 

 shore of the River Clyde, where a man with a gun had evidently been engaged 

 in wild-fowl shooting. Being a foreigner, he seemed to cherish the idea that 

 to put the fox down would save his pursuers further trouble, and he 

 promptly bowled him over. He was severely " lectured " for his inter- 

 ference, but tried to excuse himself by explaining that they always shoot 

 such animals in the country he hailed from. Shooting a fox is, however, 

 an unforgivable crime in the eyes of any hunting enthusiast, unless where 

 there are extenuating circumstances in destroying one badly affected with 

 mange. The hounds, I may add, broke up the carcase of the fox, and 

 Mr. C. M. Collins was the recipient of the mask. 



Sir David Buchanan's death took place on 8th February, 1904, and 

 the fixture arranged on the following day was, of course, cancelled. 



I can now give an account of a run in what was known at the time as 

 the " Tuesday Country," the meet being held at Lochwinnoch Station on 

 1 6th February. 



The afternoon was well advanced when a fox was found on the rough 

 ground near Bardrain Strip, and after a bit of dodging about in the 

 vicinity they ran by Sergeantlaw and Braehead right down by Nethercraigs 

 to the outskirts of Paisley. They hunted about some grounds here for a 

 considerable time and then forced their fox back up the hill to Glenfield, 

 where he beat them by entering a drain. It is recorded that this fox was 

 hunted from 3.10 p.m. till 6.30 p.m., when it was quite dark, and Webster was 

 keenly disappointed in not securing blood. It is, of course, a recognised fact 

 that huntsmen are never satisfied unless they get a kill at the end of a good run. 



