EXTENT OF HUNTING COUNTRIES. 13 



The loii2;itiide and latitude of old fox -hunt in oj 

 countries have been often severely commented upon, 

 and yet the evil still continues ; the generality of 

 hunting countries being still too extensive, and 

 not sufficiently worked to keep foxes in wind. 

 Large coverts, especially, require drawing once a 

 week throughout the season, and I remember a 

 large wood called Southgrove, which, when be- 

 longing to the Craven country, during Mr. Ward's 

 tenure of office, was of little use, save for cub- 

 hunting ; on being transferred to Assheton Smith, 

 who met there once a week, it soon became famous 

 for straight-running foxes. Woodlands should 

 never lie fallow , they want continually stirring 

 and working, like clay land, to be productive of 

 good sport. 



Prom the increase of game-preserving, and the 

 importation of French foxes, may be dated the 

 scarcity of really good runs ; instead of the long, 

 lanky-looking animal of the^ last century, ill fed, 

 and often going supperless to his kennel, which 

 would run nearly from sunrise to sunset, we find 

 a thick, short, plethoric-looking little brute, as 

 sleek, as fat, and almost as sleepy as a dor- 

 mouse, which, on a good scenting day, is blown up 

 in fifteen or twenty minutes, having been in trou- 

 ble after the first three fields ; and when, bv acci- 



