PREFACE. 



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The source from whence the material for this present 

 volume is mainly drawn is the record of the sport kept 

 from day to day by the late Mr. M. F. Bisset, Master 

 of the Devon and Somerset Staghounds from 1855 to 

 1 88 1. On his decease this journal came, by bequest, 

 to Lord Ebrington, the present master; and, in defer- 

 ence to the wish of many old staghunters that some 

 portion of it should be made public, it was then 

 suggested that extracts from it should be subjoined to 

 a new edition of Dr. C. P. Collyns's once well-known 

 book, ''The Chase of the Wild Red Deer." This, 

 however, was found to be impracticable, and Dr. 

 Collyns's book being now somewhat rare, it was 

 thought best that the ground gone over by him 

 should be traversed anew, and that extracts from Mr. 

 Bisset' s record should be added, according to pre- 

 cedent, in the form of an Appendix. 



The task of carrying this decision into effect de- 



