190 Hunting Countries of England. 



scarcely to be jumped. The centre of the country i3 

 formed by the Bicester Flat : separated on the east 

 from the beautiful Aylesbury Yale by the Clay don 

 Woods. The Vale runs down the whole of the south- 

 east of the country : and hitherto the Baron has run 

 the stag over it on the same day as the Bicester have 

 been pursuing the fox. It is rumoured^ however, 

 that some arrangement may be arrived at by 

 which Thursday may find the one animal or the 

 other at peace. Light plough runs down the west- 

 ern edge ; and the deep Oxford woodlands fringe the 

 south. 



With these two sets of woods, besides those of 

 Tingewick, on the north-east, the Bicester justly lay 

 claim to as good woodlands as are to be found within 

 the bounds of any hunt. Well foxed, and with the 

 best of their country near some of the largest, they 

 form a grand foundation upon which to build high- 

 class sport. The Claydon Woods occupy every 

 Thursday during the winter, till March — after which, 

 in deference to the wishes of the neighbouring 

 farmers, the field are bidden to where their passage 

 is likely to do less damage than over the rich pastures 

 of the Vale. The Oxford Woods, which for the most 

 part come under the denomination of The Quarters, 

 are to a great extent neutral with the South Oxford- 

 shire. On one side (that of Brill) they have, as we 

 shall see presently, a capital country. The Tingewick 

 Woods stand about one day a fortnight; and have 

 fair grass on every side. All these, being grown on 

 stiffest clay, become very deep in winter ; and harden 

 to such an extent in summer that it is diflicult to ride 



