146 Hunting Countries of England, 



THE WOODLAND PYTCHLEY.* 



First established as a separate, tributary, branch by 

 Mr. Watson, the Woodland Pytchley is now in the 

 hands of Lord Spencer — who, since resigning com- 

 mand of the entire country, continues, with an 

 establishment at Brigstock, to hunt the woods 

 twice a week. Both sides of the country benefit 

 by this arrangement. The Pytchley territory in its 

 entirety was too extensive for a single pack — and a 

 single huntsman. Now the well-stocked coverts on 

 the grass are rattled as frequently as they should be ; 

 and, on the other hand, the foxes of the great woods 

 are no longer allowed the luxury of fat and idle living. 

 We have all learned that no fox can travel so strong 

 and straight as a woodland-bred one. But to do so 

 he requires teaching and practice. He may have 

 many a light journey, when merely fleeing from the 

 noise of pursuit, of which one of his brethren is the 

 immediate object. The more of such alarms he gets, 

 the better for him and the better for all concerned — 

 for, with the steady scent that most woodlands hold, 

 it will require all the strength and all the wind he can 

 muster to carry him out of distance. A larger per- 



'^IVide "Stanford's Large Scale Map," sheet 10; also 

 " Hobson's Foxhunting Atlas." 



