90 TOUR IN SUTHERLANDSHIRE. 



wards by the sight or scent of some enemy real or imaginary. 

 Eagles and foxes both make prey of the newly-born calves ; 

 though I am told that the parent will defend her young 

 courageously and effectively against either of these enemies 

 if she happens to be at hand when they are attacked : her 

 manner of defence is by striking with her fore-feet a species 

 of warfare in which the red-deer hind is a most active enemy, 

 and difficult to cope with. I have seen one, when wounded 

 and standing in a burn, raise herself up and lash out with 

 her fore-feet (armed as they are with sharp and hard hoofs) 

 in a manner which made it a service of no slight danger to 

 approach her. Several times did a hind in this manner 

 strike at and knock under water a dog of the most deter- 

 mined courage that I had slipped at her ; and equally ready 

 was she to kick out with both her hind-legs at once, so that 

 it was by no means safe or easy to get at her ; till at last the 

 dog, after being sadly knocked about, left the water, and 

 sprang upon the deer's back from an overhanging rock, 

 seizing her by the ear and then by the throat in a manner 

 that soon subdued the poor animal. Having more than once 

 seen a hind defend herself most courageously in this manner, 

 I can easily believe the stories that I have been told of their 

 success in defending their young against fox or eagle, not- 

 withstanding the cunning of the former and the almost 

 irresistible swoop of the latter enemy. 



Deer, from their size and strength, are secure from the 

 attacks of every other wild animal of the country. 



Notwithstanding the vigilance and care of the foresters, 

 who in this county are, I believe, all men of honesty and 

 experience, the shepherds manage to kill many a deer at all 

 seasons ; nor is it possible for any number of keepers to pre- 

 vent this entirely : though they may be as watchful as 

 possible, the shepherd, from being constantly on the hill 

 amongst the deer, and knowing by experience all their 

 haunts at every time of day and at every season, has advan- 

 tages over the keeper that no vigilance of the latter can 

 counterbalance. A shepherd has for some days perhaps 

 observed that a particular fine stag, with noble head and in 

 good condition, frequents some certain grassy burn to feed in. 

 There he grazes daily, going thither about four o'clock every 

 evening; and having done so undisturbed several times in 

 succession, he becomes careless, and on leaving the braeside 

 on which he rests throughout the day, he feeds rapidly down 



