

WILD EXMOOR. 33 



straight across at me. His horns, in velvet, 

 were not so high as his ears, but his coat 

 was in perfect condition, a beautiful red gold 

 colour, and he was a runnable deer, that is, 

 of age and size sufficient for the chase. 

 After a glance at me he turned, showing 

 the whiter colour of his tail, and went 

 quickly over the rising ground. 



As he started, a second male deer jumped 

 up from the heather, and followed him. 

 This was younger and smaller, and not nearly 

 so red — not much brighter in coat than a 

 hind. A runnable stag generally has a 

 companion like this with him. They were 

 over the hill quickly, and I followed ; they 

 had, however, disappeared when I reached 

 the place. A curlew whistled again, and 

 suddenly three heath-poults sprang up and 

 flew hurriedly away. Heath-poults, the 

 female of black-game, fly like a great par- 

 tridge ; they seem to have the same curved 

 wings, which appear crescent-shaped as they 

 go. These heavy birds are as large as phea- 



D 



