THE STAG, OR RED DEER. 695 
loud whistling sound, which on a clear quiet day may be heard at the distance of a mile. 
While uttering this sound, the animal raises its head in a very peculiar manner, and seems 
to eject the cry by a kind of spasmodic jerk. The flesh of the Wapiti is in great favour 
among hunters, while the marrow-bones are prized as great dainties. The skin is also 
valual dle, being employed in the manufacture of mocassins, belts, thongs, and other 
articles where streneth and flexibility are required. The teeth are employed by the 
Indians in decorating their dresses ; and a robe thus adorned, which is in the possession of 
Mr. Audubon, was valued by its manufacturers as equivalent to thirty horses. The horns 
are also employed for various useful purposes. It is a remarkable fact, that in no 
two individuals are the horns precisely alike. 
The Srac, or RED DEER, is spread over many parts of Europe and Asia, and is indi- 
genous to the ‘British Islands, where it still lingers, though in vastly reduced numbers. 
In the olden days of chivi alry and Robin Hood, the Red Deer were plentiful in every 
forest ; and especially in that sylvan chase which was made by the exercise of royal 
tyranny at the expense of such sorrow and suffering. Even in the New Forest itself the 
Red Deer is seldom seen, and those few survivors that still serve as relics of a bygone age, 
are scarcely to be reckoned as living in a wild state, and approach nearly to the semi- 
domesticated condition of the Fallow Deer. Many of these splendid animals are preserved 
in parks or paddocks, but they no more roam the wide forests in unquestioned freedom, 
In Scotland, however, the Red Deer are still to be found, as can be testified by many a 
keen hunter of the present day, who has had his strength, craft, and coolness thoroughly 
tested before he could lay low in the dust the magnificent animal, whose head with its 
forest of horns now graces his residence. 
Formerly, the Stag was placed under the protection of the severest penalties, its 
slaughter being visited with capital punishment on the offender if he could be known and 
arrested. Indeed, a man who murdered his fellow might hope to escape retribution except 
by the avenging hand of some relation of the slain man, but if he were unfortunate or 
daring enough to dip his hands in the blood of a Stag, he could hope for no mercy if he 
were detected in the offence. 
All the ancient works on hunting are filled with the praises of the Stag, which is 
belauded with a fluency of language and a fertility of expression that throw the modern 
sporting terminology completely into the shade. | Every minute particular concerning the 
Stag itself, or the details of hunting, killing, cooking, and serving the animal is graced with 
its appropriate phrase, and if a gentleman ‘should have perchance misplaced or omitted one 
of these ceremonious appellations, he would have been held in very low esteem by his 
compeers. 
Although the Stag has been several times partially domesticated and trained to run in 
harness, it is a very capricious animal, and not a very safe servant. About the month of 
August the Stag always becomes very much excited, as that is the time when he seeks his 
mate, and during a space of three or four weeks the animal is testy and irritable in temper, 
and prone to attack with a kind of blind rage every other animal except a female of his 
own species. Comparatively tame Stags become dangerous at such a season, and have 
frequently assaulted those human beings to whom they were formerly attached. The sad 
death of a lady by an infuriated Stag is of recent occurrence, and may serve as a warning 
to persons who are ignorant of the strange fury that makes annual seizure of the animal’s 
nature. 
In the attack the Stag uses his fore-feet with as much force as the horns, and often with 
terrible effect, inasmuch as his opponent is seldom prepared for such a mode of action, 
The hard, pointed, sharp-edged hoofs of the creature become most formidable weapons in 
this mode of fighting, and are urged with such force and velocity that the coming blow 
can hardly be avoided. I once narrowly escaped an unexpected blow from a Stag’s 
hoof. I had been feeding the animal with tufts of grass, and was stroking his neck and 
shoulders, when he suddenly reared up, and struck two blows with his fore-feet with such 
rapidity that although I was aware of his intention, and sprang backwards, the second 
stroke just reached one finger, and disabled it for some days 
