RED DEER. 



plants filling the spaces between, and in 

 many districts there is a quantity of coarse 

 grass. Every spring portions of the grass 

 and heather are fired, and the flames travel 

 with extraordinary rapidity, so that a mile 

 seems traversed and the surface consumed 

 almost immediately the match is applied. 

 By waiting till the direction of the wind 

 is suitable, the flames burn over the tract 

 which has been selected, and are in a 

 measure guided so as to avoid the districts 

 which it is not desirable to destroy. Great 

 fires like this again remind one of the 

 prairies of America. After the fire the 

 charred stems of furze alone remain, and 

 gradually whiten and turn grey, like ribs 

 of dead animals, in the winter. Among 

 these crooked ribs the light-green whortle- 

 berries and coarse grasses grow till they 

 overtop the dry sticks. Next, the heather 

 rises, and after a time the place resumes its 



