ACKNOWLEDGMENTS TO CORRESPONDENTS. I. C. A. B. will perceive we have paid attention to his Favours ; the remainder will make its appearance in our next.-His Obfervation refpecting the IRISH RACING CALENDAR is under Confidera tion. Although we have taken the liberty of making fome Alterations in I. I. B's humorous Defcription of Barnet Races, we hope it will not deter him from exercising his Pen on fimilar occafions. AÇASTUS, Letter XIV. on Fox-hunting, fhall certainly appear in our next. Anecdotes of Mr. PHILLIDOR, the celebrated Chefs Player, is received, and we are much obliged to the Party who favoured us with them. Our WORCESTER Correfpondent will find his Request complied with; although it would have appeared in our RACING CALENDAR, had we not been favoured with it from him. We are forry the latenefs of our Stockton Friend's Communications precluded the poffibility of their Infertion this Month; and we wish it to be known to him, as well as the rest of our Corref, pondents, that unless we receive their Favours by the 20th of the Month, they cannot be inferted till the next Number, The mode of Hunting with Beagles in the marshy Grounds in the neighbourhood of Deptford, as well as on the other Side of the Thames, appears to us rather curious-poffibly because we have not been in the habits of witneffing it; D. C. however, does not feem to us to have been fufficiently particular in his Defcription, we will therefore thank him, or any of our numerous Subfcribers in that Neighbourhood, to be more explicit on the Subject. The Bucks, a Dialogue, is received, THE Sporting Magazine For AUGUST, 1794. Mr. BISHOP's celebrated TROT- THE HE celebrity of the animal, which we now prefent our readers with the portraiture of, is fo well known, that it is fcarcely. neceffary for us to fay any thing of its exploits; however, as we have been furnished with two or three inftances by Mr. Bishop, the late owner, we cannot but in juftice to him, give them a place. With refpect to the execution of the plate, we have nothing to fear, as we truft it will, in every refpect, be found to correfpond with our former productions; and as to the likenefs, it is done from an excellent painting, by Mr. Sartorius, in the proprietor's poffeffion; and acknowledged, by every one who has feen it, to be a ftriking one. This mare trotted 16 miles on the Epfom road in one hour, carrying 12 ftone; 238 Inftructions for inexperienced Sportsmen. large touch-hole has many advantages in the first place, as to the point of communication, and fhould you happen to lofe your priming, a good found knock on the other fide will fill your pan in an inftant. If it is apt to go off at half-cock, so much the better, it faves trouble, and you are always prepared. Let your barrel be kept as bright as poffible, and the rays of the fun reflecting from it, will dazzle the eyes of your game, and prevent their feeing you; and when placed in a confpicuous part at home, will make a much better appearance than one of your dul brown or dark blue pieces. Let your fhooting belts be very large, and that for the fhot capable of holding twenty or thirty pounds; it is impoffible for you to define what quantity you may want; and befides, when well filled and croffed on your breast, they will have a very handsome appearance, and convince people you intend to kill fomething. long full skirts, this will enable you to cover your gun, and save your priming if it rains; as to the colour, white or a good crimson is, in my opinion, preferable. In your equipment, do not forget a game-bag; as for myfelf, being, like my uncle Geoffry, a plain man, I have generally fubftituted a large cabbage net, or a pillow-cafe; let your's be ftrong and capacious, and capable of carrying three or four pounds of bread and cheese, with a reafonable portion of gin or brandy, or any other liquor you like beft. The next thing to be confidered is the choice of dogs: and here again there are various opinions; however, that you may not be at a lofs, I advise you to take two or three of each fpecies with you on all occafions; prefer those which bark most, and have the strongest tones; a few halfgrown puppies will also be ferviceable, they will not keep fneaking at your heels like an old dog, but by their continually frifking and yelping, will affuredly raife all the game around you. Some people are apt to despise that ufeful fpecies of dogs called curs, but this is an error, for as they are generally a mixture of two or three diftinct kinds, 'tis more than probable they alfo inherit the refpective qualities of their relations and ancestors. As to the article of drefs, there are various opinions concerning it; fome reprefent boots as abfolutely neceffary-I think otherwife: get a pair of light thin pumps, with fine cotton or fik tockings; the advantages of being light about the heels are obvious; you will be able to pursue your game, jump over ditches, &c. with much greater eafe than in a pair of heavy thick-foled boots; a few thorns running into your feet or legs are trifles not to be regarded by true fportfmen. Be fure you wear a cock'd hat in pre-garly called a jack-afs, of fome ference to a round one, as it has a more martial appearance, and will not fo much obftruct your fight as the latter. The other parts of your drefs is immaterial; but at any rate let your coat have Many fportfmen think a fhooting-poney a neceffary appendage, but if your circumstances will not permit you to purchase one, borrow a Jerufalem hobby, vul cofter-monger, who has worked him hard, which, with the hard beating he may have had, will prevent him from being reftive; another advantage attending this animal, will be his occafional braying, |