CHAPTER XXII 



THE DEEK 



THE deer has always been the game par excellence of the hunter. 

 There is no animal more generally distributed throughout the 

 world, therefore it has been, and still remains, the general attrac- 

 tion, as it is usually within reach of the hunter in all wild 

 countries where it is not specially preserved. There is no animal 

 which exhibits the necessity of preservation by game-laws more for- 

 cibly than the deer. In Scotland, where preservation has afforded 

 a sanctuary by the strict observance of a close-time, we see an 

 immense increase of numbers, although the conditions of the 

 Highlands have entirely changed since the destruction of forests, 

 which originally gave shelter to the red-deer. In mediaeval times 

 the shelter of vast areas of woods exerted a corresponding influence 

 in the development of the animals. Shrub?, grasses, and various 

 plants throve within the woods ; these afforded nourishment to 

 the animals during winter. At the same time, they were pro- 

 tected from the driving winds by their dense retreat, instead of 

 being exposed, as they now are, to the fury of every winter's gale. 

 The effect of misery has been seen in the deterioration of the animal. 

 The deer exhibits in its horns the ratio of its vigour. If the 

 animal has been well nurtured, and protected from its birth, never 

 unduly exposed to privations, but sheltered and well fed through 

 every season, it will develop antlers superior in length and solidity, 

 and it will increase in weight. The red-deer of Scotland cannot 

 be compared, either in size or antlers, with those of Central 

 Europe, which exist in large forests, and live a life of undisturbed 

 seclusion. Those which have been starved by exposure to cold 

 and winter famine have naturally fallen off and deteriorated in 

 size. A hart of twelve years old in our Scottish Highlands will 

 hardly average 15 stone when grallocked, although some of those 

 which have had the advantage of woods will exceed 18 and even 



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