relates that red
deer were as plentiful on the hills of Hampshire and Gloucestershire, in
the reign of Queen Anne, as they are now in the preserved deer-forests
of the Highlands of Scotland.

"When wild deer became scarce, the attention of sportsmen was probably
turned to the sporting qualities of the fox by the accident of harriers
getting upon the scent of some wanderer in the clicketing season, and
being led a straight long run. We have more than once met with such
accidents on the Devonshire moors, and have known well-bred harriers run
clear away from the huntsmen, after an on-lying fox, over an unrideable
country.

"Fox-hunting rose into favour with the increase of population attendant
on improved agriculture. In a wild woodland country, with earths
unstopped, no pack of hounds could fairly run down a fox.

"I have found in private records two instances in which packs of hounds,
since celebrated, were turned from hare-hounds to fox-hounds. There are,
no doubt, many more. The Tarporley, or Cheshire Hunt, was established in
1762 for Hare-hunting, and held its first meeting on the 14th November
in that year. 'Those who kept harriers brought them in turn.' It is
ordered by the 8th Rule, 'that if no member of the society kept hounds,
or that it were inconvenient for masters to bring them, a pack be
borrowed at the expense of the society.'

"The uniform was ordered to be 'a blue frock with plain yellow mettled
buttons, scarlet velvet cape, and double-breasted flannel waistcoat. The
coat sleeve to be cut and turned. A scarlet saddle-cloth, bound singly
with blue, and the front of the bridle lapt with scarlet.' The third
rule contrasts oddly with our modern meets at half-past ten and
half-past eleven o'clock:--'The harriers shall not wait for any member
after eight o'clock in the morning.'

"As to drinking, it was ordered 'that three collar bumpers be drunk
after dinner, and the same after supper; after that every member might
do as he pleased in regard to drinking.'

"By another rule every member was 'to present on his marriage to each
member of the hunt, a pair of well-stitched leather breeches,'[213-*]
then costing a guinea a pair.

"In 1769, the club commenced Fox-hunting. The uniform was ordered to be
changed to 'a red coat, unbound, with small frock sleeve, a green velvet
cape, and green waistcoat, and that the sleeve have no buttons; in every
other form to be like the old uniform; and the red saddle-cloth t