42 THE DEER FORESTS OF SCOTLAND. 



the small stags of the Paps and Scrinadale, and 

 other very stony hill-tops. Throughout Jura the 

 deer carry very heavy coats of hair, much more so 

 than those of the mainland, but the small fellows 

 that frequent these stony hills are extra hairy, and 

 from living so much in mist they have become light 

 in colour, and very similar to the Harris stag 

 both in body and horn ; they are most excellent 

 venison, while as showing how small they are, it 

 may be mentioned that a very pretty royal from 

 the Paps weighed but 1 1 stone clean. Mr. Evans 

 is of opinion, in which I agree, that only a certain 

 number of stags are born to the purple, but be that 

 as it may, in Jura any vigorous monarch is more 

 often than not safe from the rifle, being preserved 

 for breeding purposes, while endeavours are made to 

 collect the shed horns. By this system of searching for 

 cast horns Mr. Evans has discovered that even "royals" 

 have their bad years, and that their heads increase or 

 diminish in glory, according to the season. It must 

 not, however, be supposed that no royals have been 



