SURRENDER OF COTTESMORE COUNTRY. 4I 



Stables at the Coplow ; here he was headed, bore to the right 

 along the brook side, up to Turnpike, crossed between Toll- 

 gate and the hill, over Billesdon bottom almost to Billesdon, 

 leaving it just on the left, up to Long Spinney, along it by 

 New Inn, bore to the left for RoUeston, and they pulled him 

 down at the back of Skinner's house after one of the best runs 

 I ever saw. Time about 2 hours. 



Fox Jumps from Roof of Farm Building. 



1872. 

 February' ist. Met at Thurnby Court ; large meet ; all Leicester ! 

 Found at Norton Gorse ; ran up to Stretton Spinnies, 

 where a fresh fox jumped up ; ran up to Houghton, back by 

 Gaulby, through Norton Gorse, round by Norton Spinnies into 

 a farm-yard in Norton, where he jumped off the roof of a 

 building into a lane full of horsemen. Went back to the 

 covert, and they killed him. 



Hounds liave to Swim to Covert. 



April 2nd. Met at East Norton ; bye-day ; torrents of rain. The 

 hounds had to swim to covert in going over Alexton Brook. I 

 never knew the country so wet. We found a brace ot foxes in 

 Alexton Wood but could do no good with them, as there was 

 not an atom of scent, and it poured with rain the whole day. 

 Drew Wardley and Stoke end blank. 



Termination of Mr. Tailby's connection with part of 

 the Cottesmore country. 



Resum^ of Season 1871-72. 



So ends my connection with the Cottesmore country. We 

 have had the best season I ever remember. Country very deep, 

 so that hounds could always beat horses ; foxes in great 

 abundance, almost too much so ; woodland foxes very good 

 and very stout, especially from Wardley Wood. What I shall 

 do without my woodlands next year I don't know ; it will be 

 an uphill game with no woods to break hounds in. Not been 

 very lucky in killing foxes as we were always changing, but 

 we have been lucky in killing no vixens. 



Goodall leaves me to hunt the Queen's stag-hounds, and I 



