THE MILLBROOK 



first-class pack to hunt the foxes which abound in the neighborhood. The 

 country is an open one, consisting largely of extensive tracts of pasture land 

 interspersed with large, highly cultivated farms. The surface of the country 

 varies, the minimum elevation being about four hundred feet and the max- 

 imum thirteen hundred. Level stretches of large extent are found in the 

 valleys, but the character of the country is generally rolling. The going is 

 unusually firm, and owing to the dryness of the soil the season often remains 

 open far into the winter, and hounds are seldom stopped by frost. The fences, 

 which are quite free from wdre, are usually of the post-and-rail or "snake" 

 varieties, with a few stone walls scattered throughout the country, the enclos- 

 ures being small and the jumping in some portions very trappy; so that a 

 clever, quiet jumper is found safer and more useful than one who flies his 

 fences. 



The attitude of the landowners is marked by friendliness, some of the 

 farmers being regular members of the Hunt, and showing a keen appreciation 

 of the sport. The Millbrook hunts both fox and hare, there being a quan- 

 tity of both in the coverts, which, although fairly large, are not thick and can 

 be ridden through in most cases. Some ten years before the Hunt was 

 organized a number of German hares were introduced by Mr. Charles F. 

 Dietrich, and these by rapid increase have now become a great nuisance to 

 the farmers, who are only too glad to have them hunted. A drag is occa- 

 sionally laid in the autumn, but Mr. Marshall hopes in time to do away wath 

 this form of the sport entirely. 



92 



