HIND-HUNTING. 1 5 7 



herd, sixty a middle herd, and eighty a 

 great herd, so that the Exmoor herds equal 

 those of ancient times. 



Towards the end of the stag-hunting 

 season, as the rutting-time approaches the 

 stags begin to bellow. From long observa- 

 tion the harbourer can tell the best stag by 

 his bellow ; it is not that it is continued 

 longer than that of others, but the best stag's 

 has more volume of sound and is shriller. 

 At this time the stags fight, using their 

 antlers as skilfully as cunning duellists did 

 their rapiers. They feint, and jump for- 

 wards, and watch an opportunity ; occa- 

 sionally one gets a stab from an antler, and 

 sometimes in their rage they break their 

 antlers ; not always the heaviest stag but the 

 quickest wins, as he ' winds ' the heavier 

 stasc, and wearies him. 



The younger stags having shorter horns are 

 easily conquered, they are driven away, and 

 wander great distances in search of a hind ; 

 they travel so much and so far as to soon get 



