19 



579 hinds for year 1878, and working in the calves reared, and 



using our death lists. Hence we are able to establish the yearly O f Deaths. 



percentages of deaths approximately. 



Adding the counted stag stock (after deducting stags shot, 1889) 

 there were 1913 deer in Forest, February, 1890, no doubt this is 

 an under estimate. There will be about i deer to each 14 acres 

 in Forest. This of course includes calves. Excluding calves 

 there would be i deer to 17 acres. 



If the dozen or so of Ross-shire deer imported in 1870, had been 

 preserved, instead of being destroyed, their descendants would 

 now number at least 150, and thriving as only a freshly introduced 

 cross will thrive. A great benefit to the property, and especially 

 to Ardfin, where unfortunately they were nearly all located. 

 Estimating that 5 hinds die yearly in Ardfin, besides 4 shot there, ^ s d e s s f r f I2 

 we may calculate by aid of our death list that from 1878 to 1889, years, 

 inclusive, about 160 hinds have been shot, or hit on the whole 

 ground, Ardfin, Forest, and Tarbert and about 575 hinds have 

 died. This is 735 hinds wiped out in 12 years, or 61 yearly on the 

 whole ground. There are now at least 1343 hinds on the whole 

 ground. Nearly all hinds found dead appear to have died from old 

 age, but it is possible to mistake the ragged and lean appearance 

 produced by disease Husk for example for that which attends 

 on old age. 



254 Hind calves were calculated (all counted but Tarbert) to 

 be on the whole ground, including Ardfin, February, 1890, 

 hence the always accelerating rate of progress in hind's increase 

 must be becoming great, and be it remembered an equal number 

 of stag calves are born. We probably under-estimate the stock 

 of hinds on Tarbert, and, as it proves, that of stags also : our 

 original count was in 1880. 1890 count of stags was 158. 

 We propose to count Tarbert hinds in 1891. 



We think a vigorous and healthy hind of 12 years old, jr ert iii ty O f 

 favourably situated for shelter and feeding, should have at least Hinds. 

 14 descendants alive, and might have far more. But we must 

 add the exclamation, " O si sic omnes." 



Knowing the hinds were the power of the place, we shot hardly 



Few Hinds 

 any hinds for our first 6 years viz. : 27 in 6 years, or less than 5 per shot. 



