HUNTING LOCALITIES i6i 



which he has no connection for the express purpose of 

 hunting must be prepared to put his hand into his 

 pocket for all sorts of objects. He need not necessarily 

 be imposed upon as Mr. Puffington was when he 

 bought the Hanby House estate and became a master 

 of hounds, and if he has doubts as to the bona fides of 

 any particular fund he is asked to subscribe to, he will 

 always be able to find out the genuineness (or other- 

 wise) of the affair by applying to the secretary of the 

 hunt. 



Another matter of considerable expense in the Shires 

 is house rent, for the best houses are quickly snapped 

 up, and only those which are wide of a majority of the 

 meets hang fire. Melton Mowbray is undoubtedly 

 the best and most popular centre, because four of the 

 Shire packs are within reach, and it is possible to hunt 

 on six days of the week, without, except perhaps on 

 Thursday, having to go very long distances to covert. 

 On Monday and Friday the Quorn is chiefly patronised 

 by those hunting from Melton. On Tuesday the 

 Cottesmore are generally handy, and on Wednesday 

 the Belvoir are in the Croxton Park country, and 

 seldom meet more than half a dozen miles from the 

 town sacred to foxhunting and pork pies. Thursday is 

 as a rule the most difficult day of the week. The 

 Cottesmore and Mr. Fernie's hounds are both out on 

 that day, but meeting them often involves a somewhat 

 long journey to covert. The Quorn do not profess to 

 hunt on Thursdays, but frequently have a bye day, 

 and all the Quorn country can be reached from Melton 

 by any one who is determined to get all the sport he 

 can. Friday has been already alluded to, and is the 

 most popular day of the week with the Quorn, while on 

 Saturday the Meltonian hunts with the Belvoir or 

 II 



