166 FIELD NOTES FOR T H E Y E A R. 



waited some time without seeing anything excepting an 

 occasional blackcock or grey hen, which, having been dis- 

 turbed by the beaters at the other end of the cover, came 

 skimming rapidly past us. Presently we perceived far below 

 us four brown forms walking slowly through the high fern 

 and herbage which grew amongst the birch trees. As they 

 emerged from the cover we saw that they were three hinds 

 and a calf. With uncertain pace they went on, sometimes 

 trotting in a line, and sometimes standing in a group on 

 some hillock from which they looked back earnestly and 

 inquiringly into the wood. I was convinced by their manner 

 that there were other deer, probably stags, still in the cover. 

 As, however, the sound of the beaters came nearer, the four 

 deer gradually mended their pace, and in a quiet canter fol- 

 lowed the devious track which led them to the summit of a 

 steep hill to our right hand. It was interesting to see how, 

 having once made up their mind as to their route, they weno 

 steadily and rapidly on in single file, winding up the face of 

 the hill, sometimes lost to our sight behind a cluster of rocks, 

 or a birch-covered hillock, and again appearing as they kept 

 deliberately on their way. At the very ridge of the hill 

 they halted again, and after standing in a confused group 

 with their heads all together, and their long ears at full 

 stretch, they at once disappeared from our sight. 



The beaters came closer and closer to us, and in spite of 

 my prognostications no more deer appeared. At last the 

 men issued out of the wood at the point nearest us ; and one 

 of them came up towards where we were, to call us down. 

 A drizzly shower had commenced, and we had put the gun- 

 covers on our rifles, when suddenly from under a single 

 birch tree, which was about fifty yards from us, and about 

 the same distance from the beater, rose a magnificent stag, in 

 the finest condition, and with " a head of ten." Before we 

 could get out our rifles he was behind a rise in the ground 

 which concealed him from us until he was too far for a ball 

 to reach him ; and then he again appeared galloping heavily 

 off for the same point at which the hinds had crossed the 

 hill. We were both of us dumb with surprise and vexation ; 

 but not so the Highlander below us, who, in the most frantic 

 state of eagerness and rage, halloed and vociferated in Gaelic 

 and English, for the stag passed, with broadside on, within 

 forty yards of him. Without moving from our position we 

 watched the animal for some time ; then, returning our rifles 



