842 The Hunting Countries of England, 



heatlier anything like so plentiful — as with Mr. 

 Eichard Combe ; though the fir woods of the upper 

 ground are very similar to those which so freely adorn 

 his hunting grounds. All the upper country of the 

 Chiddingfold is very hilly, in addition to being thickly- 

 wooded; but it is only on the extreme west that it 

 partakes of that rough heathery type so familiar to 

 every man whose lines have been cast at Aldershot. 

 The lower country to the south has still more extensive 

 woods ; but they stand on much more level ground 

 and in a deeper soil — while in character they are akin 

 to the large hazel-and-sapling coverts of Kent and 

 Sussex, whose deep narrow rides mostly depend for 

 their course upon the requirements of the wood- 

 cutter's carts in the past summer. Here and there a 

 ride may have been widened to an extent that will 

 give the gunner a fair chance at the rabbits as they 

 scuttle across ; but game preserving is not, as a rule, 

 carried on extravagantly or universally. Several 

 instances there are, as must always occur in the 

 vicinity of London, of coverts being let to men who 

 care nothing for foxhunting ; and who, however 

 meagre their own sport may be, are quite careless of 

 avoiding a clash of interests — in other words, are 

 only too ready to leave the question of foxes and 

 pheasants (either or both) in the unscrupulous hands 

 of keepers. There is less excuse for such culpable 

 selfishness here than in certain other countries whose 

 special attribute is game — (and where such indifference, 

 or even antagonism, on the part of an individual to 

 the sport of the community is often loudly and justly 

 condemned) — for Surrey is nowhere a game country; 



