36 FOX-HUNTING IN THE SHIRES 



the Leicestershire fences will meet you, and some un- 

 jumpable obstacles among them. 



Farther away in this direction we come to places 

 almost, but not quite, out of the ken of Melton, and 

 among them Bunny Park, once the home of Lord 

 Rancliffe, whom Nimrod found so pleasant and hos- 

 pitable, but of whom Sir Horace Rumbold, in his 

 amusing book, gives a less pleasant impression. But 

 then Sir Horace lamed a favourite horse on the day 

 he had from here, and the old Lord was one of the early 

 school of fox-hunters to whom the new generation of 

 diplomatists was scarcely congenial. There also is 

 Prestwold, where Mr. Hussey Packe will show to any 

 one the problem solved of foxes and pheasants living 

 together in peace and amity. 



But these places hardly belong to the Monday 

 country. Taking that side of the country as a whole, 

 it has the charm of variety. The foxes too are perhaps 

 stouter than on the other side of the Wreake. The 

 fences, with certain exceptions, are to be jumped by 

 a good hunter without overtaxing his powers, but he 

 must be a hunter well schooled, handy and temperate, 

 and with at least three years of Melton condition. Of 

 the coverts of this side I have not said much, but 

 some are artificial, such as Lord Aylesford's, Cos- 

 sington Gorse, Ellar's Gorse, and Walton Thorns. 

 The last was planted by Lord Plymouth, and is not 

 to be confounded with Walton Holt, which lies on the 

 border of Mr. Fernie's country. There are some natural 

 woods and coverts like Old Dalby Wood, Thrussington 

 Wolds and Schoby Scholes, not to speak of the more 

 distant and extensive coverts of Kinoulton and 

 Owthorpe, on the Nottinghamshire border, to which 

 Lord Harrington's hounds often came after a Quom 

 fox that has paid a visit to the South Notts country. 



