The Warwickshire. 295 



separate pack would appear to have been hunting the 

 extreme north of the country for some time previous, but 

 in that year it was laid down that the North Warwick- 

 shire Pack should be established, to hunt as far south 

 as the river Leam on the east of Leamington and the 

 two canals which join at an angle at Lapworth on the 

 west. The present boundaries are approximately the 

 same (as shown on Stanford's Map). A few coverts 

 in the Claverdon district have been added to the 

 northern division. And Warwickshire as a hunting 

 county held rank after none but Leicestershire — 

 bracketing itself, as it still may, on equal terms with 

 Northamptonshire. 



It would be a great saving of time to me, and an 

 advantage, possibly, to my readers, could I transcribe 

 verbatim the account of " Warwickshire as a Hunting 

 Country '^ as it was printed in the New 8i3orting 

 Magazine of March, 1832. Except in the division of 

 the County into two Hunts, very little change has taken 

 place in Warwickshire since that time ; and the 

 remarks are as much to the point for present purpose 

 as anything I can hope to write. Here are a few 

 extracts : 



" It comprises a very large tract of grass land, little 

 inferior to that of Leicestershire, and bordering on 

 almost the finest part of Northamptonshire. It is a 

 practicable country to ride over, although a well- 

 trained hunter is essential ; it is not subject to be 

 flooded; and though the rivers Avon and Stour run 

 through part of it, foxes very seldom cross them. 

 The Stour is jumpable in some places, and fordable in 

 many; and the brooks not generally wide — the Lad- 



