934 THE UNGULATES, OR HOOFED MAMMALS 



with its nose to its tail. The hind, however, although she separates herself from 

 the young fawn, does not lose sight of its welfare, but remains at a distance to 

 windward, and goes to its succor in case of an attack of the wild cat or fox, or any 

 other powerful vermin. ' ' 



The old stags shed their antlers about February or March, according to the 

 nature of the season, but those of the young bucks are retained for some time 

 longer. In spite of traditions as to the great age attained by stags, it appears that 

 the ordinary limit of life is about twelve years, although a few individuals may sur- 

 vive to twenty years. Red deer are essentially shy and wary animals, and, in the 

 open districts which they frequent in Scotland, can detect an enemy at an immense 

 distance. When all the members of a herd are together, the chief duty of watch- 

 ing appears to fall on the hinds, but at other times the stags have to depend on 

 their own alertness. When their foes are in sight, deer will watch them with the 

 greatest coolness and circumspection, but they become anxious and restless when 

 they have reason to suspect the near presence of a concealed enemy. 

 In Scotland, deer are now killed only by driving or stalking; although 



wild red deer are still hunted with hounds in Devonshire, no less than 

 two hundred and seventy-six having been killed there in five years ending 1892. 

 Formerly it was the custom in Scotland to surround a large tract of country with a 

 circle of beaters, and deer driving on a large scale is now practiced in Austria and 

 some other parts of the continent. When hunted, as indeed at other times, red deer 

 will take freely to water, and 'when a wounded stag is hotly pursued by deerhounds, 

 he generally seeks refuge in the mountain streams, where his length of leg gives 

 him a great advantage over his pursuers. "Sometimes," writes Mr. Scrope, " a stag 

 will stand upon a rock in the middle of the river, making a most majestic appear- 

 ance, and in this case it will always be found that the spot on which he stands is not 

 approachable on his rear. In this situation he takes such a sweep with his antlers, 

 that he could exterminate a whole pack of the most powerful lurchers that were 

 pressing too close upon him in front. He is secure from all but man, and the rifle 

 shot must end him. Superior dogs may pull him down when running, but not when 

 he stands at bay." It may be added that, when disturbed, deer invariably run up 

 wind. 



Allied Sue i * n Edition to the red deer, Asia possesses several closely allied forms, 

 which are generally regarded as distinct species, although it may be a 

 question whether it would not be better to consider them all as local races. One of 

 the best known of these Asiatic deer is the hangul or Kashmir stag ( C. kashmir- 

 ianus). This species stands about four feet four inches at the shoulder, and differs 

 from the red deer in that each antler (as shown in A of the figure on p. 928) usu- 

 ally has but five tines, so that no cup is formed at the crown, which is simply 

 forked. Moreover, the whole beam of the antler is much curved, with the main tine 

 of the surroyals (?) greatly inclined inward, while the bez-tine is generally longer 

 than the brow-tine, or just the reverse of the condition obtaining in the red deer. 

 Occasionally, six or even seven points may be counted in the antlers of the hangul. 

 In color, this deer closely resembles the European species. Whereas, however, the 

 call of the red deer during the pairing season is a loud squeal, ending in a more 



