200 Hunting Countries of England. 



THE HEYTHROP.* 



The Heythrop is another varied and pleasant Country 

 in the Oxford Circuit. It seldom happens but that 

 hounds can run hard over one part of it or another — 

 whether across the wolds and stonewalls, when rain 

 enough has fallen to make scent cling to the light 

 plough — or, in dryer weather, along the grassy vales 

 which cross its face in many directions. And when 

 there is a scent on the wolds, the Heythrop bitches 

 can often leave their field behind them. The coverts 

 are small, hounds generally get away close to their fox, 

 and have frequently raced right away from horses. 

 For they can fly the stonewalls in their stride, carrying 

 as broad a head as across the field — nor dwelling a 

 second to bring the gallopers on to their backs. 

 Pretty riding, too, is this stonewall country — never a 

 snare in the fence, and the ground always light and 

 sound going. You might not care to ride over stone 

 walls every day — but you are not called upon to do this 

 with the Heythrop — for it is seldom more than twice 

 in the week that they cross the wolds. A loose stone- 



* Vide Stanford's Large Scale Map, Sheet 15 ; also " Hobson's 

 Foxhuntino; Atlas." 



