What betting occurred during the evening, or what else was done, we may dispense with inquiring, and proceed to Wednesday's sport. This, too, was very ample, beginning with an amateur stake hight The Debdale, with half-a-dozen starters. A sort of a wrangle preceded the race, which Lord Strathmore won with and upon Red Lancer. This young nobleman merits success, for he surely endeavours to deserve it. No matter where or how-with the sunlight sparkling on his satin toilette, or up to his ears (indeed, over his head and ears) in mud; lame or sound; good, bad, or indifferentyou never miss him when there is anything to be done becoming a cavalier sans pour in the matter of Olympics. The Two-year-old Stakes induced four out of the six subscribers to show, It moreover produced a very pretty struggle (to look at) between the winner, Lammermoor, and a filly called Selina. The horse was a good deal "gruelled," however; and as the time was over a minute and a-half, the course being the T.Y.C., the pace was not a flying one. The Castle Stakes, The Great Western walked over for, receiving two forfeits of 10 sovs. each. This brought us to the betting event of the meeting-The Great Warwickshire Handicap; forty subscribers, and seven to the post. For this the Irish nag, Ballinafad, became the great creature, 5 to 4 being the highest offer against him. For a decent four-year-old, Gst. 91b, is not an over-dose of avoirdupoise, it must be admitted. It was an exceedingly picturesque party for a considerable portion of the distance-indeed, till Ballinafad left his company, and won in a canter. The Emerald-islander was now looked to for the Chester Cup-another sop for the book-makers. A Chicken Sweepstakes, for three-year-olds and upwards, brought forth a sporting field of a baker's dozen. Ferryhill-a Derby nomination, entered to be sold for £50-won by a head, with 6st. 4lb. up. The Beaten Handicap Columbus won; and so the list was run off. It will be seen that the amount of races far exceeded any former anniversary; and Warwick bids fair to be the most important of the early meetings. And now, welcome, violet-breathing Spring, "wind-winged emblem" of the sport we love! All hail, young mother of hope! Come, with thy life of life, the eternal trust which looks back upon evil days as upon the winter of discontent, destined to disappear before eternal sunshine! ALARM. THE PROPERTY OF C. C. GREVILLE, ESQ. ENGRAVED BY E. HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY J. F. HERRING, SEN. Alarm, bred by Captain Delmè in 1842, is by Venison, out of Southdown, by Defence, her dam Feltona, by X.Y.Z., out of Janetta, by Beningbrough Drone Contessina. Venison, by Partisan, out of Fawn, by Smolensko, perhaps the most successful stud-horse of the day. (Vide List of "Stallions for the Season," in the present number.) Southdown, bred by Captain Lamb in 1836, never appeared on the Turf, and as yet has thrown nothing worthy of ranking with her second son and first hope. Alarm is a bay horse, standing fifteen hands two inches high, well furnished throughout, with excellent shoulders and quarters, deep in the girth, and uncommonly even-looking to the eye, though perhaps rather giving the character of a useful than remarkably handsome race-horse. He has good bone and substance, capital legs and feet, and according to those who should know best, "was never lame or sick in his life." PERFORMANCES. In 1844, Alarm, then two years old, ridden by S. Mann, won the Champagne Stakes of 30 sovs. each, h. ft., with 50 added (15 subs.), last three quarters of the New Mile, at Bibury Club (over Stockbridge Course), beating Mr. J. Day's Winchester (2), Lord Chesterfield's Lady Wildair (3), and the following not placed:-Mr. J. Day's Nutbourne ; and Mr. W. Etwall's Egis. Won cleverly by a length. Soon after this favourable début, Alarm passed from his breeder's into his present owner's hands, and we find him accordingly, in 1845, as Mr. Greville's Alarm, ridden by Flatman, not placed for the Derby-won by Mr. Gratwicke's The Merry Monarch. For this race Alarm had long figured as a prominent favourite; and it is still thought by many good judges that but for the accident previous to starting he could not have lost. It may be remembered that as the horses were drawing up together, Libel jumped upon Alarm, who, in his alarm, got rid of Nat, and went away for the Steward's Stand, striking himself very severely against the chains. He was caught, remounted, and started; but too much upset at the time to take his proper place in the race. After being very judiciously nursed through the summer, he was brought out again in the last of the Newmarket October Meetings, when ridden by Flatman, and carrying 7st. 9lbs., he won the Cambridgeshire Stakes of 25 sovs. each, with 100 added, a mile and a distance, beating Event, 3 yrs., 6st. 2lbs. (2), Yardley, 5 yrs., 8st. (3), and the following not placed :-Trueboy, 5 yrs., 8st. 5lbs.; Mentor, 3 yrs., 7st. 7lbs. ; Example, 4 yrs., 7st. 9lbs.; Espoir, 4 yrs., 7st. 9lbs.; Young Lochinvar, 5 yrs., 7st. 8lbs.; The Baron, 3 yrs., 7st. 8lbs. ; Ironmaster, 3 yrs., 7st. 4lbs.; Hope, 3 yrs., 7st. 2lbs.; Titmouse, 3 yrs., 7st. 2lbs. ; Wolfdog, 3 yrs., 7st. 2lbs.; Duc-an-Durras, 3 yrs., 7st. 2lbs. ; Ould Ireland, 3 yrs., 7st.; Connaught Ranger, 3 yrs., 7st.; Secundus, 4 yrs., 6st. 12lbs.; Wee Pet, 5 yrs., 6st. 11lbs.; Everton, 5 yrs., 6st. 11lbs.; Elemi, 4 yrs., 6st. 9lbs.; Chertsey, 3 yrs., 6st. 7lbs.; Flattery, 3 yrs., 6st. 7lbs.; King Cob, 3 yrs., 6st. 71bs.; Croton Oil, 4 yrs., 6st. 6lbs.; Venus, 3 yrs., 6st. 4lbs.; Best Bower, 4 yrs., 6st. 2lbs. ; and Jet, 3 yrs., 4st. 7lbs. 9 to 1 agst. Alarm, who won easy by two lengths. In the previous meeting he received 250 forfeit in a match against Old England, across the flat, giving 5lbs. In 1846 Alarm, ridden by Flatman at Newmarket Craven Meeting, won the Claret of 200 sovs. each, h. ft. (6 subs.) Ditch-in., beating Mr. Irwin's Ould Ireland. 7 to 2 on Alarm, who won by half a length. In the same meeting he received 250 ft. from Lord Glasgow's c. by Bay Middleton, out of Miss Whip, in a match-Ditch Mile-giving 6lbs., and also paid 50 sovs. ft. to Mr. Moore's Wolfdog in a match for 300, across the flat, giving 11lbs. In the First Spring Meeting he received at 8st. 7lbs. 130 sovs. ft. from Mr. O'Brien's Traverser, 3 yrs., 6st. 7lbs., in a match for 500 across the flat. At Ascot, ridden by Flatman, he won the Emperor's Plate, value 500 sovs., two miles and a half, beating Lord Lonsdale's Jericho (2), Lord Waterford's Wolfdog (3), and the following not placed :-Mr. Moore's Coranna; Mr. S. H. Godson's Forward; Mr. Meiklam's Inheritress; Mr. O'Brien's Mentor; Mr. Clark's The Baron; Major Yarburgh's Miss Sarah; Mr. Wigram's Kesheng; Colonel Peel's Örlando; and Mr. Merry's colt by Don John, out of Peri. 3 to 1 agst. Alarm, who won by a length. At Goodwood, ridden by Flatman, he won the Orange Prize, value 300 sovs., nearly three miles, beating Lord Lonsdale's Jericho (2), Mr. Moore's Wolfdog (3), and the following not placed :—Mr. Robertson's The Cure; Mr. A. Johnstone's Sir George; and the Duke of Richmond's Red Deer. 6 to 5 agst. Alarm, who won by a head. At Newmarket Second October Meeting, ridden by Flatman, and carrying 8st. 8lbs., he beat Sir J. Hawley's Bishop of Romford's Cob, 6 yrs., 8st. 2lbs., in a match for 300 sovs. T.Y.C. 5 to 2 on Alarm, who won cleverly by three-quarters of a length. In the same meeting, ridden by Flatman, he beat the Duke of Bedford's Oakley, aged, in a match for 500 sovs. T.Y.C., at 8st. 7lbs. each. 2 to 1 on Alarm, who won cleverly by a length. In the Houghton Meeting, ridden by Flatman, and carrying the top weight, 9st. 4lbs., he was not placed for the Cambridgeshire Stakeswon by Mr. Nunn's The Prior of St. Margaret's, 3 yrs., 6st. 7lbs. 5 to 1 agst. Alarm. In the same meeting, ridden by Flatman, he beat Mr. Mytton's Sorella, 5 yrs., in a match for 1,000 sovs., Beacon Course, at 8st. each. 6 to 1 on Alarm, who won easily by five lengths. In 1847 Newmarket Craven Meeting, Alarm, at 8st. 7lbs., received 100 sovs. ft. from the Duke of Bedford's Paragone, 4 yrs., 7st. 9lbs., in a match for 500, D. M.; and also, at 8st. 4lbs., 200 sovs. from Mr. Mytton's The Baron, 5 yrs., 8st. 7lbs., in a match for 500, Two Middle Miles. At the First Spring Meeting, ridden by Flatman, and carrying 8st. 71b., he was beaten by Mr. O'Brien's The Traverser, 4 yrs., 7st. 7lbs., in a match for 1,000 sovs., T.Y.C. 13 to 8 on Alarm, who was beaten easily by five lengths. SUMMARY OF ALARM'S PERFORMANCES. In 1844 he ran once, and won £ The Champagne, at Bibury Club, value clear 320 In 1845 he ran twice, received forfeit once, and won once. Match forfeit, Second October Meeting 250 The Cambridgeshire, Houghton Meeting 1,475 Brought forward In 1846 he ran seven times and won six-received £2,045 250 600 130 940 720 300 500 1,000 100 In 1847 he ran once, and received two forfeits, 200 £6,785 Another reference to our list will show that Alarm has finished his career on the turf, while as a nag most fashionably bred, and a most successful runner at all distances from the T.Y. to the B.C., we may reckon him amongst the best of our untried" Stallions for the Season." WOOD-PIGEON SHOOTING. BY THE SALOPIAN. I am not aware that any of your numerous correspondents have ever noticed this kind of sport; one that, from the wary nature of the bird, the difficulty of getting at it, and the constant excitement it affords, is full of interest and amusement. The wood-pigeon is a bird so universally known throughout the kingdom, that any minute. description of it is unnecessary. There are three kinds-the ringdove, or large and common wood-pigeon, or quest, and in some places called the smiter, from the loud noise it makes by smiting or striking its wings together when rising and falling though the air, as it so gracefully does in its flight during the breeding season. A second kind is the stock-dove, much smaller than the former, with less white on the wings and neck. And the third sort is the little dark blue pigeon, or rockier; not half the size of the first, and with no white about it whatever, and chiefly found in high cliffs and other rocky places on the sea coast. But all three kinds come into the inclosed and cultivated lands during the winter months and inclement weather, in search of the beech-masts, acorns, and turnips, when other food is scarce. At this time of the year, the two former kinds arrive in great quantities, remaining during the greater part of the following winter months. Many, however, of the ring-doves and stock-doves, and some few of the others, continue all the year round, breeding twice and sometimes thrice in the season, and whose inartificial nests may be found in almost every fir and larch plantation, and in pollard trees and hawthorn bushes, along the sides of brooks |