Page:The Hare.djvu/169

Rh which rose steadily but surely, and before long began to be recognised as the premier club of the country. Membership was never easily obtainable, and the very highest standard was reached in a comparatively short time; so much so, in fact, that Altcar very soon became what I may describe as the mother club of the coursing world, and this position it has maintained up to the present date.

And here I may remark that various codes of rules with regard to the course itself were adopted from time to time, the first of which were 'amended from those framed by his Grace the Duke of Norfolk in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.' Various clubs made various alterations in the Duke of Norfolk's rules; but in every code that ever was used the principle that the dog who did most towards killing the hare should be the winner was recognised. I have no space in which to show how the many slight changes have crept in, but herewith submit the code which has been in force all over the country since 1884, when the National Coursing Club (an outcome of the Altcar Club) put forth its constitution, bye-laws, and code of rules as follows:—