The Bramham Moor. 23 



to the west and south-west it is only limited by the 

 impracticable nature of the ground and the inimical 

 conditions of its industries. In fact, Mr. Stanford's 

 colouring brush flashed far over the line when it flung 

 itself beyond Knaresborough Forest and on to the 

 wild western hills. Bradford and Leeds again in the 

 south-west offer a background of railways and manu- 

 factories that are altogether impervious to the fox- 

 hound. The river Nidd is the northern boundary of 

 the country ; the Aire forms the southern ; and the 

 Ouse marks part of the western. 



Not a good scenting country is the Bramham Moor — 

 the soil through the greater part of its extent being a 

 thin covering over limestone. Nor can its foxes, 

 where most plentiful, lay claim to straight necks or 

 stout courage — a deficiency due, no doubt, to the 

 number and propinquity of the coverts. These are 

 the drawbacks to be laid at the door of the Bramham 

 Moor j and applicable in the main to all the heart of 

 the Country. To counterbalance them the Hunt can 

 plume itself on a pack of hounds that will work a fox 

 to death under all difficulties; and, further, can 

 congratulate itself that, through the greater part of 

 the Country there is an abundance rather than a 

 dearth of foxes. 



The best scenting ground in the Hunt (bar the 

 rough western moorland, on which hounds never find 

 themselves unless carried there by a travelling fox) is 

 the north-eastern corner, which embraces a slip of the 

 Ainsty Liberty — a name that may be briefly explained 

 as applying to a bit of Yorkshire that belongs to one 

 Riding and votes with another, that gives a title to 



