HUNTING DIRECTORY. 25 



Fox Hounds. 



which partook much of the old school ; the same remark 

 is equally applicable to the fox-hounds of Sir Tatton 

 Sykes, to the York and Ainsty, as well as to the Bads- 

 worth, though not in so great a degree, and may perhaps 

 extend to others which have not fallen under my obser- 

 vation. The country hunted by the hounds just enu- 

 merated, would appear to render tender-nosed hounds 

 indispensable, since extensive fallows are of frequent 

 occurrence, and also other circumstances equally unfa- 

 fourable to scent. The case is different in Leicester- 

 shire, which is chiefly a grazing county, and where, of 

 course, a high-bred hound is afforded an opportunity of 

 exhibiting his powers under every possible advantage. 

 In the month of November of the year 1824, I saw a 

 fox found, by the Duke of Rutland's hounds, in a cover 

 called Holywell Mouth, near Melton ; the hovmds went 

 away close at his brush, and killed him very handsomely 

 in two and twenty minutes ! such a circumstance could 

 rarely, if ever, occur, with hounds of the old school. 

 The Cheshire hounds (those of Sir Harry Mainwaring) 

 are as fleet as the hounds used in Leicestershire, though 

 the country is not so favourable for hunting ; but the 

 inclosures are, for the most part, small ; and thus a judi- 

 cious huntsman, when he comes to a fallow or other 

 ground, where his hounds cannot recognize the scent, will 

 immediately lift them to the next fence, where it seldom 

 fails to be hit off again. 



