THE RULE OF Mr. GEORGE LANE FOX. i^j 



turn out early, as it rained hard, but they found a good litter 

 of cubs, and after a lot of work they managed to get hold 

 of one. The cub-hunting season was a satisfactory one, 

 scent serving fairly all the time. They were out thirty-two 

 times, killing twenty-one and a half brace of foxes, and 

 running seven brace to ground. The regular season com- 

 menced on November ist, at Woodhall Bridge, but scent 

 was bad and sport indifferent, though they managed to get 

 hold of a ringing fox. The first good run took place on the 

 6th, when they met at Weeton. Their first fox was found 

 in a rushy field near the meet, and they ran him hard for an 

 hour by Almscliff and Riffa, and over the river opposite 

 Rawdon Hill, pulling him down at Harewood Bridge after 

 a sharp gallop of an hour. Their second fox was found in 

 Swindon Wood, and after two hours and five minutes of 

 good hunting, by Spacey Houses, Thurtle's Whin, and Pannal, 

 and over Beckwithshaw bottoms nearly to Harrogate, and 

 back nearly to Almscliff they killed him midway between 

 North Rigton and Thurtle's Whin. Sport throughout the 

 month was of average character, scent not being so good as 

 could have been wished ; and the early days of December 

 did not show much improvement. But they had a typical 

 Bramham Moor day on the 8th, for an account of which I 

 must turn to Mr. Fox's diary : — 



' December 8th. Deighton Bar. Found in the Willow Garth ; 

 ' away towards Bickerton, back past Lingcroft to Ingman- 

 ' thorpe, ringing round the coverts ; then away to Hall 

 'Park Springs and Walton Wood. Away with a fresh 

 'fox, back again to Ingmanthorpe, Hall Park Springs, 

 'Boggart House, Hatfield's covert, Ingmanthorpe Willow- 

 ' garth, round again to Geldart's covert, down towards 

 'the river, left Cowthorpe village on the left. Close at 

 'their fox into Cowthorpe Wood; changed, ran on to 

 'Tockwith, down to the river nearly to Cattal Bridge, 

 'back to Cowthorpe Woods, and into Lingcroft. Here we 

 s 



