BERKSHIRE'S STORY 109 



himself. No doubt I shall be suffered to lie in the 

 coverts of the former, though I find much of my 

 food at Shottesbrook, where the coverts are so thin 

 and hollow that I could not remain there durine: 

 the day without many chances of being disturbed 

 by the keeper's dogs. I hope at some future time 

 to be able to tell you that the breed of foxes in 

 those parts, and in the royal purUeus, has so in- 

 creased that it has been unnecessary for me to risk 

 my Ufe very often with Sir J. Cope's fine pack of 

 hounds. It is reported that he intends to pay 

 more frequent visits to these parts in future, in 

 consequence of having given up the distant part of 

 the country. 



"And now, Sandy, tell us what is going on 

 north of Tweed. Be there any hounds there ? It 

 is reported that foxes there are shot hke rabbits. 

 The mountains, it seems, are not to be rode over, 

 and so no fox-hunting ; is it so ? " 



