T 46 Tally ho. 



and for the first time to witness tlie hunting of the 

 wild red deer amid the glorious scenery and rugged 

 moorlands, where the Aclands, Bassetts_, Fortescues, 

 Worths, Chichesters, etc., have for generations past 

 indulged in this noble and unique pastime. Time was 

 that the deer roamed wild over a great part of North 

 and South Devon and tlie West of Somerset ; but the 

 increase of population and the enclosure and cultiva- 

 tion of large tracts of waste lands have curtailed the 

 area over which these beautiful and graceful animals 

 bounded at will ; and it is extremely probable that in 

 the course of a few years the opportunities of enjoying 

 this Royal sport will be still further diminished. 



So the fiat went forth that my hunting clothes, 

 boots, whips, etc., which had been carefully relegated 

 to the lumber-room, should forthwith be packed for 

 the journey. At this unexpected announcement, a 

 cry arose, " What, going out hunting in August, with 

 the thermometer at 87 degrees in the shade ! You 



must be ," but the stern look of an offended 



parent soon put a stop to this babbling, and I packed 

 ofi", with, bag and baggage, to these, to me, new and 

 happy hunting-grounds. 



Having by a most fortunate chance been introduced 

 to Mr. Collyns, whose father, Charles Palk Collyns, 

 of Dulverton, was tlie author of ' Notes on the Chase 

 of the Wild Red Deer in the Counties of Devon and 

 Somerset' — dedicated to Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, 

 a celebrated patron of the sport in former days — and, 

 being kindly allowed the opportunity of perusing this 

 rare and valuable work, which gives the author's ex- 

 perience of 46 years' sport in Devon and Somerset, 



