DEEE-STALKING. 165 



for half the day, and then returns to her offspring, whose life she 

 has thus preserved at the hazard of her own. _ 



Those persons who are fond of the pastime of hunting-, have 

 their peculiar terms for the different objects of their pui'suit. Thus 

 the stag- is called, the first year, a calf or liind calf, the second a 

 hiohber, the third a brock, the fourth a staggard, the fifth a stag, the 

 sixth a hart. The female is called, the first year, a calf the second 

 a hearse, the third a hind. 



The remarkable shyness or wariness of the deer, gives rise to 

 thousands of devices to over-reach them. Almost every sportsman 

 has some general method of his own to get fairly within reach of 

 them. The sportsman must always approach them up-wind, to pre- 

 vent the animals from scenting them, for they possess this faculty 

 in high perfection. Sometimes a circuit of several miles has to be 

 taken, before they can be so approached as to give a fair chance of 

 sport. Weather has likewise a great deal to do with the matter. 

 When this is of such a character as to oblige the deer to frequent 

 the well-heads or pools of waters, and more especially if these be 

 in a locality where there is any portion of brushwood or shelter for 

 the gunner, then his chances of success are considerably increased. 



There is a full and excellent description of tlie x^fresent mode of 

 deer-stalking, given in Mr. Cooper's novel, "The Smugglers," 

 It has for its truthfulness and vivacity been approved of, and 

 quoted by Mr. Scropc and others, weU known for their skill in this 

 amusement. The novelist says, " There is no describing the irre- 

 sistible fascination of this pursuit to the true-bred Highlander. Day 

 after day will he traverse the haunts of those noble animals, or sit 

 with inexpressible patience, wrapped in his plaid, behind a gray- 

 stone, upon some well-kno^vn commanding height, watching for a 

 sight of them ; or creep for miles together on his beUy, hke a 

 worm, to approach them undiscovered. The lapse of time and the 

 severity of the weather are alike unheeded- he only thinks of how 

 to circumvent his waiy prey. If successful, he is richly repaid ; if he 

 fails, it is but to renew the tedious and toilsome quest, until his 

 perseverance is at length rewarded. * * * * Cautiously creeping 

 up the little hillock, until theii- eyes could just peer above the top- 

 most heather, Glenvallich and the forester, throwing themselves 

 upon their faces, scrutinized with their glasses the brown expanse 

 before them ; nor was it until more than a quarter of an hour had 

 elapsed in the inquiry, that they arose from their recumbent posi- 

 tion. ' Nothing is stirring or in sight, as far as we can make out,* 

 said GlenvaUicli ; 'let us move forward. Eemember, Tresham, 

 we shoot at nothin.^ but stags. The hinds with calves at their 

 feet are not in condition ; and the yell hinds, as they are called — 

 those, that is, which have either had no_ calves, or have lost them — • 

 your eye is not practised enough to distinguish from the others. 

 You may see plenty of roe-deer too, here, for the_ wood is fuU of 

 them ; but don't shoot at them, for you might disturb and lose a 

 stag worth fifty roes, who might be lying within a few yards of 



