I2 4 ODD HOURS WITH NATURE 



of the mature hinds with the glass, and about half 

 the calves discovered were young stags. These 

 were liberated immediately after their sex had 

 been ascertained. But in most cases they tried 

 to follow the person who had lifted them from 

 the lair in which the dam had laid them, in some 

 cases so persistently that, in order to shake them 

 off, the finder had to climb some bit of rock where 

 it was too difficult for them to follow. 



I was offered an opportunity of accompanying 

 a searcher, and found the work far from exciting. 

 It meant a long tramp over a rocky mountain-side, 

 several long lies while the hinds in sight were 

 watched through the glass, and finally the dis- 

 covery of one which seemed to have just left her 

 calf. When the spot was reached, there was the 

 calf, sure enough. The searcher carried a long 

 stick with a hook of wire at the end of it. Some- 

 times, I was told, the young calf would start up 

 and keep moving a yard or two ahead of its 

 pursuer, hence this implement. But in our case 

 the implement was unnecessary. The calf never 

 moved till it was lifted, and then it showed not 

 the slightest tremor of alarm. It was stroked, 

 and at once accepted its finder as trustfully as if 

 he were its dam. Rather from want of faith in 

 its ability than its will to follow he put it in his 

 g'ame-bag, with the head and neck sticking out, 

 and in that way carried it home. At headquarters 

 half a dozen persons had to stroke and admire 

 it, and it accepted all without a hint of dis- 

 turbance or hostility. And when offered the bottle, 

 it took to it with the readiness and eagerness of a 

 ewe-bereft lamb. 



