144 FOX-HUNTING IN THE SHIRES 



of Melton to the covert side when hunting in their 

 Leicestershire country. Of the Lincolnshire side of 

 the Belvoir I have already written when describing 

 the sport open to visitors from Grantham. 



In speaking of this hunt, then, it must not be for- 

 gotten that it still is a great county hunt, affording 

 sport to the squires and farmers of the district, the 

 fathers and forefathers of many of whom have sup- 

 ported the hunt, preserved foxes and ridden after 

 the hounds for as long a time as the Manners family 

 have kept the pack. Times have altered in the 

 Belvoir country as elsewhere, and it is now a sub- 

 scription hunt. Still, owing to the unrivalled pack 

 which the Duke of Rutland lends freely to the country, 

 and to the kennels and many splendid coverts pro- 

 vided by him, the connection between the hunt and 

 Belvoir Castle is in no way severed, the present Duke 

 being not less interested than his predecessors in the 

 fame of the hounds which still depend upon his support 

 and influence in so many ways. 



IV. Mr. Fernie's Hunt 



From the hunts round Melton we pass to those 

 for which Market Harborough is the centre, and the 

 chief of these is the Billesdon Hunt, better known to 

 its members and to the world generally as Mr. Fernie's. 

 This hunt was formed out of the southern portion 

 of the Quorn, and in old books, before the division, 

 it is always described as the Harborough country, 

 and was by many people considered the cream of 

 the Quorn Hunt. Mr. Meynell stayed at Langton 

 Hall, and the hounds were kennelled at Great Bowden 



