The hunting element was strong in both these corps, more especially in the Maiden Bradley, and had to be considered as regards fixing drills and other matters. Most of the farms were either in or bordering upon the meets of the Blackmoor Vale foxhounds, and at Warminster were the kennels of the South Wilts, the Lieut. Colonel commanding the battalion being the master, so drilling and hunting had to be combined if anything like a muster was desired. Some of the best to attend at the roadside inn on a winter's evening for a two hours' dose of squad or position drill were men who had been in the saddle all day; but the men really liked drill, and considered it as a duty to be present. As an instance of the willingness with which these Wiltshire men attended drills, and of the sort of individuals composing some of the outlying corps, the author offers the following story. It is of course one of many similar ones occurring in the history of the early formation of rifle corps throughout any of the wilder counties of Great Britain. However, it shows the stuff the men were made of, and also perhaps the necessity for tact and temper in the adjutant. It had been agreed upon between the adjutant and the captain commanding the 6th Corps, that as a certain day was a general holiday, there should be a drill at the head quarters about midday, it appearing this hour was more suitable than any for the majority to attend. The adjutant was to ride over from Warminster and take breakfast, and some water-colouring was to be done between that meal and the time of assembly. As proposed, so carried out, and on the appointed day, a bleak December morning, the adjutant, mounted on his best, started away for the captain's abode, there to find him at breakfast sure enough, but in pink, and evidently intent on hunting instead of drawing or drilling. "I forgot all about the drill. Bother it, we can't have it. The hounds meet at Knoyle, so we haven't a moment to spare. Every fellow will be there, and you must come." This was the explanation; and the appearing of the adjutant at the meet in uniform being the only substantial objection, it was overcome by borrowing coat, waistcoat, and hat, the uniform long boots and dark pantaloons remaining; albeit the rig-out was none of the neatest or best-fitting, as the captain was a few sizes taller than the adjutant; but it answered its purpose, and throwing goose-step, turnings, wheelings, and odd files to the limbo prepared for such uninteresting articles, the breakfast was hastily swallowed and the two set out for Knoyle.