steady, and his race was run. The heavy bullet caught him fair in the chest, and, expanding inside, destroyed all that was vital, and brought him headlong to earth.

Of all service weapons we prefer the old Snider for big game; the shock is severe and its result immediate. No hanging about after wounded animals once fairly hit by the 577 bore, and the heavy 480 grs. bullet will bring an elephant to his knees. Not so with the Martini; we tried the two rifles together on heavy cattle once for experiment, and we have since lost many head of wild game hit by the latter. The trajectory of the Snider renders it unserviceable at long range, but how many shots at game does one ever risk over 200 yards? Our opinion of the Lee-Metford, which we never tried on bone and muscle, is against that weapon; the pencil-bullet would wound many a pig or deer, which with their marvellous vitality would be lost to the hunter, and still fall a prey to hyena or wolf. On active service it is yet almost untried, though the Boers may know something about its stopping power. Experto crede!

A large silver-grey wolf was added to the bag by the bundook of a busy beater. A shepherd himself, it must have been a grim satisfaction to him, while

In summer's heat and winter's cold

He fed his flock and penned the fold,

pursuing his lonesome task by night amongst the wild pasturages on Mount Houmea. In Macedonia flocks are still fed by the light of the moon.

This wolf lolloped past the very next pair of guns to us, and was clean missed by them both; turning short, he headed back through the beaters, and was met at close quarters with a shower of slugs that crashed through both shoulders and killed him at once. His epitaph, A tergo lupus!' These hungry wolves, like starving men, possess little conscience when pinched; driven from these lofty forests by the winter snow, they pack in sixes and sevens, and not only pull down outlying cattle in the plains, but make short work of the huge shepherd dogs bred to protect them. Caught single-handed, the dogs are broken up as readily as Reynard himself would be when run into by the Beaufort badger-pies.

That finished the day; we had a long trudge home down the mountain trails, arriving after dark well pleased with our surroundings. Tired nature's sweet restorer' soon banished all thoughts of banditti from our minds, and the friendly disposition of our fellowhunters, who sampled a night-cap of our best Scotch,' made us scorn such aspersions thenceforth.

The next day the same routine was carried out over 'fresh woods and pastures new,' but without success. The beating was even worse than before, and though several head of game were sighted, none were secured. We gave all our spare ammunition to our hosts at S.; it is to be hoped they have since discharged it on a legitimate errand! 'Gratia gratiam parit!' Our parting was genuine and pathetic; our leave was up, their little fiesta was at an end; to meet again under the same happy conditions was not to be. Unforeseen events in the past few years have blighted that blossom of sport in a land so convulsed by disorder as that now groaning under the Crescent and the Star. To the relief of our worthy Consul-General, we had no absentees to report as missing on our return to Salonica. We sent him a haunch of venison from our spike buck, but, do what we could, we could never get him to sanction another expedition in such questionable company. The little village was soon obliterated from view by two feet of snow, and it is to be hoped the liberal backsheesh we bestowed broadcast prevented the honorary members of S. indulging in their nefarious industry for the rest of that winter at least.

THE nicest horse in the world' is by no means an uncommon expression, indeed it is used with rather promiscuous recklessness; but if ever there was a horse whose looks, bearing, performances, temper, and general character entitled him to the description, Amphion was that animal.

He was such a gentleman all over, as much so as his owner, which is saying a great deal; and though, to be precise, seven furlongs was perhaps quite his best course, he could get a mile and a quarter better than most, and farther than that if need were, as was proved by his victory in the Hardwicke Stakes. There was that about him which every horse-lover, ignorant or expert, could appreciate.

A rich golden chestnut, he had a beautifully turned head and neck, with a splendid eye; better shoulders were never served out; his limbs were properly proportioned and set on in the right places; he was a trifle better ribbed up than, as a rule, are those who can get beyond six furlongs; while his action and demeanour were perfect. To his character James Chandler, his trainer, shall speak. As regards his temper I don't think there was a bettertempered horse ever trained, in or out of the stable or on a racecourse he was always the same.'

To see Tom Cannon canter down to the post on him on a fine day was the prettiest sight that a racecourse could show; it would be difficult to decide whether the performance gave most pleasure to horse, rider, or spectator: we know that the two former always looked thoroughly happy.

Amphion, by Speculum or Rosebery-Suicide (the latter sire being usually credited with the parentage), was bought by

General Byrne of the Royal Artillery at Doncaster in 1887, out of Mr. G. S. Thompson's lot, for 3501., Mr. James Smith, the former owner of Rosebery, being the General's only serious opponent; and Chandler, who was then training at Houghton, near Stockbridge, took the colt home with him. Croydon was always favourite ground with that exclusive little stable, and it was with a view to the Spring Two-Year-Old Plate there that Amphion was tried on April 17, 1888, with Balderdash (3 yrs.) at 10 lb., the elder horse, who could go a bit, just winning. After this there was not much doubt about success at Croydon. The chestnut started favourite at 2 to 1 and won easily by three lengths, beating a field of eight-worthless save for one brilliant exception in L'Abbesse de Jouarre, destined to become as famous as her then conqueror; she also must have pleased her people, for she was second favourite, though she seems to have made no show in the race. It was in his next trial that Amphion first founded the suspicion that he did not take great interest in racing at home, a character which saved him trouble in the long run, as they gave up trying with him; but on this occasion there does not appear to have been much to carp at.

JUNE 22.-BUSH IN AT STOCKBRIDGE (five furlongs)

Won by a short head; length second and third; same third and

fourth.

Of these Pillarist and Balderdash were already winners that year; Marioni had only run once. But it will be observed that the young one had immensely the worst of the weights, and that he had come on at least 10 lb. with Balderdash, besides which it is not always the horse who does not try in the trial. At any rate, Amphion found no difficulty in winning the Champagne at Bibury four days later, and in the following month carried off the Great Kingston Stakes at Sandown, after which, though he ran three times that season, he was never really himself, being much troubled with humour.

In 1889 he was only tried once-viz. a mile on April 6-when, at even weights with Balderdash, and receiving 7 lb. from Oliver Twist, he ran clean away from the pair, after which he easily won the Doveridge Handicap at Derby on the 13th of the same