35 



Since writing this paper Tarbert has been very carefully counted 

 with the valued assistance of Mr. D. Fletcher, who knows every 

 bit of the ground. The result is 158 stags, July, 1890. Adding 

 12 stags for 1890, it is about 22 more than we had estimated by 

 calculations carried on for ten years, without any count during 

 the interval to guide us. We appear to have under-estimated 

 the fertility of Tarbert hinds. 



It is reasonable to believe Tarbert contains more hinds than 

 our estimate. Assuming the two stag counts of Tarbert are 

 correct, 91 stags in 1880, and 158 stags in 1890, the increase has 

 been 75 per cent, in ten years. At first sight this appears in- 

 credible, as compared with the Forest increase of about 30 per 

 cent, for the same 10 years. 



But we have shown that we did badly in the Forest down to 

 the year 1884 inclusive ; we had 49 more stags in 1880 than we 

 had in 1884, whilst in Tarbert there were about 7 more stags in 

 1884 than in 1880. This is calculated from the count of 1890. 

 Taking the last years, 1885 to 1890 inclusive, the rate of increase 

 in Tarbert and that in the Forest is the same, namely, about 

 37 per cent, in 6 years. This looks as if our series of stags 

 estimated to have been in each place is about correct, instead of 

 being incredible. 



Mr. F'letcher, by his superior knowledge and management, has 

 steered both his own sheep stock and the deer of Tarbert pretty 

 clear of the losses we suffered in the Forest from 1878 to 1884 

 inclusive. But since we have adopted his methods, both places 

 have fared equally well. We think Tarbert is easier to manage 

 than the Forest. 



We suppose Ardlussa rears as many stags as are taken 

 off it. 



The following extract from a letter dated nth May, 1890, 

 written by Hugh Ross, very many years forester at Dibidale 

 in Ross-shire, is interesting. It is not probable that any 

 specially careful search has been made there for dead animals, 

 but it is extremely probable that the death rate in East Ross- 

 shire presents a favourable contrast to our own. Dibidale may 

 be 12,000 acres ; much of it is splendid feeding. Its stags mostly 



