The Essex and the Essex Union. 345 



with an alternate choice of The Hon. H. Petrels 

 Staghounds. 



The leading, natural, divisions of the Essex are the 

 Ruthins, Takeley Forest, the bank country in the 

 north, and Epping Forest in the south-west. The 

 first-named is the type on which the Hunt builds its 

 fame ; and the neutral wastes of Takeley Forest are a 

 source from which both The Essex and The Pucke- 

 ridgeever aim at driving a fox forth on to the Ruthins. 

 About Thaxted and Bardfield every farm is more stiffly 

 enclosed_, usualty with stout banks. At the south- 

 western end, again, we come to the almost hopeless 

 depths of Epping Forest (best considered as sacred to 

 Easter Monday and the Annual Benefit of Her 

 Majesty's Buckhounds) and just short of this is 

 Nasing Common and its adjuncts^ whereon a run may 

 be carried for miles on open grass. Along the 

 southern-most border of the Essex — from Brentwood 

 past Romford towards London — is a rich wooded 

 district of park and enclosure, beautiful to the lover 

 of scenery, precious in many senses, but not altogether 

 best fitted for the pursuit of bold Reynard. 



The Essex are under the popular Mastership of Sir 

 Selwin-Ibbetson, M.P. ; and his leading meets are 

 much as follows : For Monday^ Passingford Bridge, 

 with its good Gorse, and General Mark Wood's well- 

 tended coverts ; Navestock ; Shank's Mill ; and 

 Kelvedon Common, Havering, whence a fox is always 

 to be found in the late Mr. Macintosh's Gardens; 

 and Purgo Lodge for Purgo Big Wood, where 

 General Ffitch looks well after the foxes. 



The Wednesday meets are the best of the week; 



