THE HUNTED STAG. 153 



hunting is not so good as it becomes in a 

 week or two. The velvet is scarcely off 

 some of the stags' antlers (they cannot run 

 far while in velvet) ; the pack is not settled 

 down to its work, at least the young hounds 

 have not, the ground is hot, and the heather 

 sometimes cuts their feet. As the season 

 advances the hunting improves and the pace 

 increases, so that those who desire to see it 

 in its glory should not go down for a week 

 or two. Besides hurting their feet on the 

 wiry heather, hounds cut them on rocks, 

 and are occasionally stung by adders. A 

 stag usually goes straight away, then finding 

 that speed and distance will not throw off 

 his pursuers, he tries art, next he courses 

 round, and often returns to bay and is killed 

 near the spot whence he started. He always 

 stands at bay in water, a river, or stream, 

 and very often swims out to sea. 



As he breaks from cover, a stag has his 



