The Atherstone. 157 



minutes without a pull. For the Rugby country is 

 nearly all grass_, and the fences are fair but formidable. 

 Scent lies well, and the fun is often fast and furious. 

 We have begun out of order ; so may continue out of 

 order — and complete the Fridays before returning to 

 the earlier days of the week. Brownsoever is the 

 Atherstone meet nearest to E-ugby ; and, after its 

 home plantations are drawn, the word is generally for 

 Cestersover — which constitutes also the second draw 

 from Coton. A very favourite fixture is Coton House, 

 from whose snug little gorse, or from the Park 

 spinnies, many a good gallop has led into the Pytchley 

 country. There are also, on the borders and close to the 

 Watling Street Road, two or three more small coverts 

 tempting a trip on to the neighbouring soil. By the 

 way, Mr. Stanford is open to a slight correction here- 

 abouts, in that he has carried the Pytchley colouring 

 over the river Swift, where it crosses the Watling 

 Street Road — whereas the Atherstone country comes 

 to the northern bank of the stream. 



Bitteswell is another outside meet, which never fails 

 to call in a large body of visitors from Mr. Tailby^s 

 and the Pytchley. As the hounds are generally 

 brought here by rail, and as the Bitteswell Covert is 

 very small and road-begirt, Ullesthorpe Station is often 

 named instead of Bitteswell. For a second fox from 

 either — should it happen to be inconvenient on the day 

 to turn to Twelveacres, a terrible distance has to be 

 travelled. For, excepting a little plantation or two 

 (seldom occupied) not far from Ashby, there is no 

 covert of any sort till Burbage Wood is reached, fully 

 six miles away — the whole of the beautiful grass tract 



N 2 



