78 The Hunting Countries of England. 



Belvoir, we have tlie meets o£ Wartnaby (sometimes 

 at the Stonepits, or, better in every sense, at the 

 Hall) and Ab Kettleby, each about four miles from 

 Melton. After drawing the Long Plantation of 

 Wartnaby, bounds are taken, generally by their fox, 

 along the hill side to Holwell Mouth. Holwell Mouth 

 is the warmest of basin copses, and foxes delight in 

 it. From here a fox will more often cross the brow 

 to Clawson Thorns, half a mile into the Duke's 

 country ; and from there he will probably come back 

 again, repeating the operation ad lib. But frequently 

 he slips away into the tempting Yale, which lies 

 mapped out like a green chessboard below ; and in 

 this case he invariably leaves nine-tenths of his 

 scarlet- coated followers behind. The Quorn have no 

 covert in their slip of the Belvoir Vale ; so a Holwell 

 Mouth fox taking the lower ground will either lead 

 them to Sherbrooke's Covert of the Duke's, or mount 

 the Hill again to the Curate, or round to, and through. 

 Old Dalby Wood. The latter is a thin, but well- 

 placed brake ; but foxes have not favoured it, or else 

 have been but little favoured, of late years ; for 

 though they will run through it they decline to reside 

 there. After Holwell Mouth the next neutral covert 

 is Saxelby Spinney, and then Grimston Corse — the 

 last named a fine covert, but with a railway cutting 

 in course of formation through it. All round 

 Grimston and Saxelby is a grand stiff grass country, 

 as fine as can be ridden over, and generally carrying 

 a rich scent. 



Having now completed our brief sketch of the 

 geography of the Monday country, we may carry our 



