390 The Hunting Countries of England. 



The walls are often too big to be easily jumped — 



added to whicli they occur most freely on the highest 



and steepest ground. But, being built entirely of 



loose stones, it is always easy to send the upper layers 



rolling by a push of the shoulder. A place thus made 



is likely to remain untouched till the shepherds go the 



round of their w'alls and fences in the spring; and, as 



the foxes of the district are apt to travel similar lines 



on repeated occasions, the gaps will continue to 



play their part throughout the season. As above 



mentioned, the grass and walls are only found quite to 



the west — where the ground rises rapidly towards the 



moorland. They commence in earnest about Cornsay; 



though quite a good country is entered upon before 



reaching that point — the ground southward to Crook 



and Brancepeth for example. It undulates strongly in 



every direction ; but the hill sides are very rideable, 



and — in a wet winter especially — carry a capital scent, 



while the foxes are remarkably straight and stout. It 



is mostly arable, but with grass sprinkled here and 



there ; and the fences are chiefly light thorn and 



timber as in Northumberland. Hilltop to Colepike or 



Broomshields (Mr. John Greenwell's) will represent 



about the best of the west — and Cornsay is an 



especially favourite meet, never failing to bring many 



men from a long distance. Between Cornsay and 



Hilltop and near Lanchester is The Ford (the 



property of another good fox preserver, Mr. Matthew 



Kearney). Westward of Cornsay, too, the country 



soon assumes a more wooded character — as, for 



instance, at Elm Park and Harpley Park, where 



the Rev. G. P. Wilkinson takes care that foxes should 



