218 The Hunting Countries of England. 



that on the extreme south-east it again reaches the 

 Thames at Henley. 



At first glance the sphere of the South Oxfordshire 

 would appear too extended for only two days a week. 

 But as a fact the brow of the Chiltern Hills cuts off 

 the whole of the south-eastern portion as virtually 

 useless — the Chiltern Forest covering a wide area of 

 chalk, with mile upon mile of inhospitable beech 

 wood. Thus the Hunt seldom finds itself there 

 except by accident ; and even in the latter case the 

 majority turn their heads homewards. Foxes occa- 

 sionally travel on to these scentless heights from the 

 Vale ; but seldom, if ever, take a downward course 

 from the Hills. So, well-preserved as is all the rest 

 of the country, it would be difficult to find room for 

 the chase more than twice a week. Lord Macclesfield 

 has now hunted the hounds since 1857, after two 

 yearns previous experience of them in 1845. They 

 became his own property in 1860, since which the 

 judgment of one of the best authorities in England on 

 the points of a foxhound has not been wanting in the 

 task of continual improvement. Though in his sixty- 

 ninth year. Lord Macclesfield still rides up to his 

 hounds as vigorously as ever, while he hunts them 

 with all the accumulated experience of so many years 

 of practice. 



As to hunting quarters for South Oxfordshire, there 

 are only Thame and Oxford to point to, unless we take 

 in Aylesbury as commanding its Mondays, and offering, 

 besides, its Yale under the auspices of the Baron, the 

 Bicester, the Old Berkeley, and Mr. Selby Lowndes. 

 Henley is the only other noteworthy town touching 



