138 COVERS. 



introduce the subject of covers, the various descriptions 

 of them, and the best mode of making the most of a 

 country, which may by nature have been but moderately 

 o-ifted with these indispensable requisites for the pre- 

 servation of the "crafty animal," and consequently the 

 ensurance of sport. Various are the kinds of covers 

 and the names by which each variety is distinguished 

 according to their locality. For instance, what is 

 termed in the midland counties " a gorse," or " gorse 

 cover," is called in the north a " whin," and in some 

 places a " furze brake ;" " gullies," " dingles," " dum- 

 bles," and " bottoms," are also synonymous terms. 

 Woods are also defined by " holts," " roughs," *' cop- 

 pices," " spineys," " brakes," " stubs," and " scrubs," 

 according to the counties in which they may be situated, 

 and no less varied are the tastes of sportsmen which 

 may lead them to pronounce in favour of either the 

 " woodland wild," or what in these " haste making" 

 days may be denominated " a nice little handy gorse 

 to get away from ;" giving one the very idea of some- 

 thing pre-eminently dreadful in the mere presence of a 

 wood or any other temporary shelter, which may either 

 entice reynard from his line, or retard but for one 

 instant the steam-like velocity of a modern " burst." 

 Large woods and cliffs, clothed with briars and brush- 

 wood, were no doubt the only places where our fore- 

 fathers first bid the echoing horn to speak at early 

 dawn ; but as " hunting the fox," which in those days 

 might be compared to the refined amusement of badger- 

 baiting, gave way to the " noble science," and as this 

 princely diversion, which owes much of its patronage 

 to the graceful and manly accompaniment of "horse- 



