British Hunts & Huntsmen. Volume 1 of 4 - The South West of England

British Hunts & Huntsmen. Volume 1 of 4 - The South West of England. Includes the Heythrop, Cotswold, North Cotswold & Vale of White Horse hunts. 1st Edition. Published 1911 by Biographical Press, London.
Pages 591. Illustrations: 39 black & white/half-tone engravings. 642 black & white photographs. Leather and cloth binding with gilding to spine.
Condition: Good.

An introductory chapter on hunting, and articles concerning the stag, the fox, the hound and the horse, and all subjects allied thereto.
Dedication to: His Grace Henry Adelbert Wellington Fitzroy Somerset Ninth Duke of Beaufort M.F.H.
From the General Introduction:'Encouraged by the excellent reception accorded to the result of their efforts in the compilation of "The British Turf", the sporting Life and the Biographical Press at once started on a companion work dealing with hunting, entitled British Hunts and Huntsmen', the first volume of which is now issued in the following pages', A plate illustrating the first part of the 2nd chapter, 'Hunting the Wild Stag! is a fine engraving entitled :A Sportsman of Quality and Gamekeeper. The original aquatint shows the sportsman clothed in a scarlet jacket with fashionably puffed sleeves, in vogue in the 15th Century. His gamekeeper meanwhile is dressed in more serviceable clothing as befits his status.
The original drawing was by Lt. Col. Charles Hamilton Smith KH KW ERS ELS (1736-1839). A British soldier, artist, illustrator and naturalist, famous for his work illustrating military costumes and uniforms, and for his involvement in an experiment in 1900 to determine the best colour for British military uniforms. Demonstrating scientifically that grey or green made less distinctive targets for rifle shooting than the red commonly worn at that time.