A Fox-Covert Study

Abstract

Poolthorn Covert, the history of which is fully known, is situated in the parish of Cadney-cum-Howsham, North Lincolnshire.It has an area of about ten acres, and was laid out in the year 1797, according to the Brocklesby Estate Office books.It lies on the eastern boundary of Cadney township, but in the middle of last century, at a date unknown to me, was extended two acres to the east, by a pure planting of Blackthorns, into the western side of Howsham township.On the atuthority of the late Mrs Hannah Abey (1803--1894) a native of this place, who was a lover of nature, this covert was planted on "rough grass common pasture, with Hassocks (Deschampsia caespitosa) in places.It was trenched for the purpose of draining just before," i.e. the ground was never under cultivation previously in human memory. THE SOILThis covert stands on two soils of widely contrasted floral sympathies.Its northern face, and about one-sixth of its area, are on thin Very Chalkv Boulder Clav, that is to say---for I have had to distinguish them clearlv all over this county for botanical purposes-oil the basement bed of the Chalkv Boulder Clay, which in some cases is practically Chalk removed to another spot bv ice-action.On this bed all the true Chalk species can grow, if they once get a footing, as Orchis pyramidalis, Plantago media and Ranunculus auricomus f. depautperata have at times done in this covert.The other five-sixths are on retentive Kimeridge Clay, with its characteristic local fossil Gryphaea di'latata Sow., abundant in the covert.The wood stands quite isolated, there is no other covert within a mile, on an incline, the dip being to the south; and its wettest band is therefore just below the junction of the Very Chalky Boulder Clay, a porous siping bed, with the underlying waterproof Kimeridge Clay.