8 THE DEER FORESTS OF SCOTLAND. 



From time immemorial there have been deer in 

 Glen Tana, and in the old days more than once 

 it has been attempted to extirpate them or drive 

 them clean off the place, but though the whole country 

 side gathered together and formed a compact line, 

 and although there was a great slaughter, the plan 

 failed and the deer returned, to become as numerous as 

 ever. For the last ten years the average kill has 

 been sixty-one stags, scaling 14 stone clean. The 

 normal character of the horns is broad, strong, and 

 wild, and the heads of many good royals adorn the 

 splendid ballroom of Glen Tana House. 



At one time the fastnesses of Glen Tana were 

 favourite sites for the operations of the illicit still, but 

 as the amount of the fine increased pari passu with the 

 activity of the excisemen, these stills gradually dis- 

 appeared, and nothing now remains but a few ruins 

 of these attempts to get cheap whisky. I have had 

 the pleasure of spending a few days at Glen Tana, and 

 it is not possible for me to leave this forest without 

 making mention of all the other sport this grand 



