The Cottesmore. 103 



impressing discrimination on tlie young entry. At 

 tlie extreme south of this middle country are the 

 meets of Luffenham and Ketton Hall. Luffenham 

 Heath is another great stronghold for foxes, and 

 right well cared for ; but is held to be a curiously bad- 

 scenting covert. Wakerly Woods, which adjoin, are 

 the property of the Marquis of Exeter, and neutral 

 with the Fitzwilliam, and they enjoy the reputation 

 of being usually short of foxes. At Ketton is a range 

 of old workings known as The Pitts, wherein foxes 

 can get to ground at any time. Of the Thursday 

 country (and applying to the Cottesmore territory in 

 toto) it may be added that very little grass will be 

 found to the east of Woodwell Head : while east of 

 Luffenham we get on to light stony plough, whereon 

 stone walls in a great measure supplant the black- 

 thorn. 



The eastern woodlands of the Cottesmore are very 

 extensive, and occupy almost entirely their Mondays 

 and Wednesdays. On these days they hunt as far 

 eastward as the fens of Lincolnshire will allow, their 

 country in this direction being limited only by the 

 impracticable form (as far as hunting is concerned) 

 into which it here lapses. Thus the great Car Dyke, 

 passing through Bourn, may be said to be the 

 boundary of operations on this side. Without dwell- 

 ing at great length on the features of their woodlands, 

 we may mention that among the more distant meets 

 is Manthorpe, for Dikey Wood and Thurlby Park 

 Wood — two sure finds. The foxes of this neighbour- 

 hood are well taken care of by the sporting farmers of 

 the district. On the other side of the town we have 



