The Belvoir. 9 



little else. Nowadays there is usually a fox ; but tlie 

 pheasants crowd Eeynard out terribly ; and the tube 

 of iron gives a more welcome sound to the native ear 

 than the horn of brass. In nearly every other part of 

 the Belvoir country there is a good stock of foxes. 



An eastward boundary is formed by the fens of 

 Lincolnshire — an unhuntable tract running up to 

 Boston — but on the north of Folkingham and still in 

 close propinquity of Grantham come Aswarby (Sir 

 Thomas Whichcote^s)^ Culverthorpe, Dembleby Thorns, 

 and Haydor Southards — places full of foxes wild and 

 good. Long runs are the rule rather than the excep- 

 tion j for these foxes travel well_, and take some catch- 

 ing over the heavy ploughs which characterise the 

 neighbourhood. And yet, when thoroughly wet, 

 these ploughs maintain a good scent. 



Still more to the north we get to Rauceby, where 

 foxes are also well cared for. From Eauceby to 

 Leadenham is again heath land, divided by stone 

 walls into fields of from fifty to one hundred acres. 

 Its scent lies best on it when dry — and with a scent 

 on it hounds can often run clean away from horses. 

 So here your requirements in the matter of horseflesh 

 are again diversified, and blood becomes more an 

 essential than bone. 



Leadenham is one of the boundary marks between 

 the Belvoir and the Blankney, and Colonel Reeve finds 

 foxes for both. Dipping into the lower country west 

 of Leadenham we find ourselves in as strong a grass 

 country as it is desirable to ride over ; and from 

 Stubton Gorse the Belvoir have scored as many nice 

 gallops of late years as from any covert in the hunt. 



