314 The Hunting Countries of England. 



ordinary meet is tlie Fourth Milestone on tlie Forest. 

 Kexby Wood (Lord Wenlock^s) is one of the nearest 

 fixtures to York ; and Aldby Park (Mr. Darley^s) and 

 Sand Hutton (Sir J. Walker^s) are on the same side 

 of the river, with some big woods belonging to 

 those gentlemen between Strensall and Buttercrambe. 

 Sutton Wood and Allerthorpe Common, across the 

 Derwent towards Pocklington, give a corner of the 

 country in the far south that is held to be extremely 

 good. After these two woods Catton Common is to 

 be drawn (whence at one time foxes would frequently 

 make long points on to the wolds) ; and on the way 

 towards Kennels is an excellent new whin covert 

 recently planted at Catton by Mr. Darley. From 

 Buttercrambe Bridge they would draw some small 

 coverts, e.g., Coal Wharf, and thence on to Lippington 

 Wood and the Thackers; while Westow is for Howsham 

 Wood — the latter a fine old wood, with deep rides 

 through its stiff clay. 



But the best scenting and most sporting division of 

 the country from a huntsman^s point of view is the 

 western district — the wooded hills that run between 

 Malton and Gilling. A great chain of wood covers 

 nearly the whole northern summit — oak being the 

 principal timber, except about GilHng, where larch 

 and Scotch fir again become prominent. These wood- 

 lands, as indeed the whole of the country, are very 

 amply stocked with foxes. When the leaf is once 

 down, and still more when a fall of snow has cleansed 

 the ground beneath the trees, a good scent is generally 

 met with, both in covert and out. The soil is a strong^ 

 one; and the valleys are clay. From Bransby or 



