Breeding of Hunters. 247 



woods, and up and down break-neck dingles. Many 

 of the horses in the V. H. C. country, old-fashioned 

 hunters with rare loins and back ribs, have a power 

 of creeping which absolutely borders on the mira- 

 culous. The Castlemartain country, which until 1855 

 was hunted by the South Pembrokeshire, and holds 

 as good a scent as any in England, is the principal 

 breeding district for hunters ; and the " sporting 

 Castlemartain yeomen" (as they delight to be called) 

 keep at least one three-parts-bred brood mare, which 

 is generally put to a thorough-bred horse. The young- 

 sters are mostly kept till five years old, by which 

 time they are usually perfect fencers, and find a ready 

 sale for the English market, at prices varying from 

 90/. to 150/.; and the principal buyers are Messrs. 

 James and Jacob of Cheltenham, and Harvey of 

 Manchester. For some years back the leading sires 

 have been Pilkington, Uncle Toby, Ascot, Mango, 

 Ballinkeele, Gaper, St. Bennett, Firman, Benedict, 

 and Sultan ; and, subsequently, Pharaoh, Cheops, 

 Langton, and Shannon (h. b.) have joined their 

 ranks. Ascot, Mango, and Ballinkeele have perhaps 

 got the best hunters, and Gaper's stock are usually 

 very good fencers, but their forelegs are sadly de- 

 ficient. 



The most fashionable hunting sires in Ireland 

 (1825-1855) have been Old Welcome, Bob Booty, 

 Tiger, Sir Hercules, Birdcatcher (Old), Smallhopes, 

 Windfall, Freney, King Arthur, Navarino, Black- 

 foot, Whitenose, Philip the First, Cock of the Heath, 

 Colwick, Seahorse, Lottery, Bobbygore, and Roller ; 

 while the stock of Brown Molton, Vulcan, The 

 Great Western, King of Kelton, Mayboy, Tear- 

 away, Large Hopes, Shawnboy, Sir Richard, Young 

 Windfall, Tom Steel, Arthur, &c., were in great 

 vogue. The Irish have now quite recovered the 

 check which was given to hunter-breeding by the 

 faniine, and we believe that an almost unprecedented 



