28 RIGHT OF COUNTRY, 



which had, without interruption, been in the acknow- 

 ledged habit of hunting that country, within the limits 

 of which these covers might be situated. If it were 

 not for this, what confusion would ensue ? Upon every 

 slight misunderstanding, or coldness between neigh- 

 bouring gentlemen, there would be some pretence or 

 other for allowing their covers to be drawn by another 

 master of hounds ; no acknowledged boundary would 

 be kept up, and when the sportsmen left the kennel in 

 a morning it would be a matter of uncertainty whether 

 their " line of drawing" had not been disturbed through- 

 out, on the day before or not, and even whether it 

 would be possible for them to hunt with any degree of 

 certainty three or four days a- week for the rest of the 

 season. As time rolls on, changes, not only in the 

 demarcation of kingdoms, but also in the extent of 

 hunting countries, are continually taking place, partly, 

 in the latter case, from the circumstance of a new owner 

 of a pack living at a more remote distance, or from the 

 number of hunting days being increased or diminished. 

 I could enumerate many instances of covers changing 

 hands, or becoming what are termed neutral covers. 



It is in the memory of sportsmen now living, that 

 the far-famed Shuckburgh Hills have been claimed by 

 four different hunts. Many years since, when Mr. 

 Warde hunted Warwickshire, they were drawn by his 

 hounds ; afterwards, the Pytchley drew them, and 

 since my recollection they have been hunted both by 

 the packs of Sir Thomas Mostyn (afterwards sold to 

 Mr. Drake), and of Lord Lichfield, at that time Lord 

 Anson, when his lordship hunted the Dunchurch 

 country. The Ran-dans, also, a chain of covers 



