244 LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY. 



tations of fresh blood in order to counteract the ill-effects of 

 in-and-in breeding ; and they likewise inhabit all the Hebrides, 

 but are now unknown in Shetland and Orkney, although there 

 is evidence of their former existence in the latter. Once 

 abundant over the whole of Ireland, the Red Deer, even in 

 Thompson's time, was confined to the wilder parts of Con- 

 naught, as Erris and Connemara, and to a few localities in 

 the south, more especially the neighbourhood of the Lakes of 

 Killarney. 



Habits. — Essentially gregarious in their habits, Red Deer, 

 in common with most of their kind, divide themselves accord- 

 ing to sexes for the greater portion of the year, the old Stags 

 only consorting with the herds of does and young males 

 during the breeding-season. During the summer the old 

 Stags, while apart from the hinds, are in the habit of feeding 

 singly or in small herds on the higher parts of the hills, while 

 the hinds and young, unless much disturbed, prefer the 

 valleys and lower ground. In September the Stags commence 

 their rambles in search of the hinds, the breeding-season 

 lasting for about three weeks from the ktter part of that month 

 or the beginning of the next. During this season of excite- 

 ment they make the mountains ring with their loud bellowings, 

 which are uttered at night and early morning ; and should two 

 rival "monarchs of the glen" chance to meet, a deadly conflict at 

 once ensues. During such conflict, the hinds, as so admirably 

 depicted in some of Landseer's pictures, remain as silent 

 spectators, awaiting the issue, and then betake themselves to 

 the triumphant victor. After the excitement of this season, 

 the old Stags become very poor, and seem dejected; their 

 mutual hostility ceases, and they set to work to recruit their 

 energies before the severity of winter. The fawns are born in 

 May or June, after a gestation of eight months and a few days ; 

 the hind retiring to some sequestered situation, where she 



