24 



Ardfin Stags Stags shot on Ardfin seldom are weighed. Their weight has 

 are seldom 



weighed. declined of late years. 



Tarbert Tarbert sheep ground improves in number and quality of its 



improving. sta g i Corrienaheira is considered a part of Tarbert. We are 



very kindly supported in Tarbert by Mr. Fletcher, who is a 



staunch friend to the deer ; so is Lindsay, at Lagg, which forms 



Weight of a P art f Corrienaheira. In 1878, our Tarbert stags averaged, 



Tarbert Stags, clean, i3'9| ; whereas, in 1889 the average, excluding two wasters, 



was 147. The weight of our Tarbert stags, 1890, averaged 



14*1 ij, and one stag was 19-12. Tarbert stag count of 1880 was 



91, that of 1890 was 158. About 50 Gatehouse stags winter in 



Stag calves Corrienaheira. We estimate there were 2^4 stag calves on the 



and their 



result. whole place, Forest,, Tarbert, and Ardfin, alive in February, 1889. 



These would produce 142 twelve year old stags, but as a matter 

 of fact, many stags younger than twelve are saved the risk of 

 natural death, consequently, more than 56 per 100 calves must 

 reach the larder. 



Judging age of I do not think it always easy to judge the age of a mean- 

 hil^andfrom neaded sta S after he has reached 5 years old, that is to say an 

 an arm-chair, ordinary hill stag, of no merit. There are many stags that never 



grow larger than a fairly good 5 year old animal. Arm-chair 



judgment is much easier than hill-judgment. 



We have a three year old stag with six points, a grandson of a 

 Ross-shire hind ; he is very tame, and one ear has been cut short 

 to render him bullet proof. His mother is also very tame. There. 

 is no possible doubt of his identity. He passed two years as a 

 knobber instead of one year, and then threw out six points. A 

 somewhat awkward fact for the cock-sure division of observers. 

 The Ross-shire hind died calving in the month of October. 



Even old wasted stags play us tricks. 



In 1889 we let off an old lean stag because he had a good 

 head, an odd reason, some will think. In 1890 this old fellow 

 had decidedly improved, both in body and head. He is easily 

 known by his head, four points on one top, three on the other 

 good tines. 



