170 Hunting Countries of England. 



scarcely provide room and stabling for more tlian one 

 or two sportsmen. Derby is undoubtedly a good 

 situation. It commands three days of tbe Meynell_, 

 and has the South Notts and Lord Ferrers' to eke out 

 the week. It is rather more than three hours from 

 London (St. Pancras) ; and the Midland Railway 

 offers further facilities, in the opportunity of taking 

 train two or three times a week to join the Quorn 

 near Loughborough, Syston Junction, or Leicester. 



Thursday is especially the day of the week on 

 which the Meynell are in the immediate neighbour- 

 hood of Derby — Tuesday being nearer Sudbury or 

 Ashbourne, Monday in the Burton-on-Trent district, 

 and Saturday on the Chartley side (and south of 

 Uttoxeter). 



Thus, as has been already stated^ the two middle 

 days of the week are in the Derbyshire, or grass, 

 country — the characteristics of which vary but little 

 throughout. Its coverts are entirely small and artifi- 

 cial : and are keenly preserved on all sides. Some 

 larger coverts might be of advantage ; for towards 

 the end of a season it often happens that there is 

 difficulty in finding a fox in some of these little places 

 — though, when one is once found, two or three others 

 are almost certain to be soon afoot, with the possible 

 consequence that, after running hard all the afternoon, 

 hounds have to be whipped off a fresh fox, when they 

 should be near killing their own. 



The horse for this country ought to be a quick 

 jumper, yet easy to stop and turn. He should be 

 shortbacked and strong — power and endurance being, 

 perhaps, of more consequence here than mere speed. 



