77? Wapiti and his Antlers. 81 



failed to see exactly how it was inflicted, the movements being so 

 rapid and the light too indistinct. It appeared to me, however, that 

 the weaker stag, on regaining his leet first, made a dash at his foe, 

 but from some cause or other his lunge missed its aim, and, while 

 the impetus carried him past his still kneeling adversary, his whole 

 flank was exposed to the thrust of the latter's horns. The next 

 second he was down too, but this time with a heavy thud stretched 

 out at full length, just out of reach of the kneeling victor's horns, 

 who, too exhausted to rise, kept butting at the body which he could 

 not reach. A minute later they were both up again, but the battle 

 was decided, and the wounded hart fled into the forest, where I 

 found him the next morning dead, with a ghastly slash two feet in 

 length, that had ripped open his side and penetrated to his vitals. 



While on the subject of deer and their antlers, let me say a 

 word or two here concerning the subject of measuring stags 

 antlers. Some years ago the columns of the Field contained a 

 lively correspondence anent this very matter, a well-known sports- 

 man, writing under the nom de plume of " Smoothbore," having 

 started the ball by suggesting that it was high time that there 

 should be established an uniform principle of measuring and 

 judging antlers, horns, &c. As everyone knows who has given 

 attention to the subject, the usual run of English sportsmen either 

 do their measuring according to their own ideas, or do not 

 sufficiently regard certain useful features connected with, or 

 bearing upon, natural history. It was, I thought, a most timely 

 suggestion, for do not British sportsmen go further afield than any 

 other? To judge by some of the replies, the go-as-you-please 

 spirit, which has hitherto tabooed scientific accuracy, is still very 

 much to the fore. " Smoothbore " suggested that a committee of 

 experts should issue a circular to all well-known sportsmen and 

 naturalists with the view of collecting expert opinion for the 

 purpose of framing a definite standard of measurements and points 

 of merit.* " Smoothbore," with whom, I must add, I am not 



* Field, Nov. 9, 1895. 

 G 



