36 



leave for the breeding season, and those remaining alive return 

 for the winter, till next breeding season. 



[Extract of Letter.'} 



Dibidale, nth May, 1890. 



Death amongst deer in Dibidale and surroundings is not worth mentioning ; 

 it shows in calves and old hinds. Also a few, very few, stags die after getting 

 a few feeds of the young grass. This is generally called green braxey. 

 But poverty and old age are the chief causes of death amongst deer that come 

 under my notice in this quarter. 



There is off and on about 600 head of deer on this place of all kinds to- 

 day, of which 300 are stags, and unless a beast that was wounded and not got 

 last season, there was not one dead deer seen on our place this Spring. I 

 am quite aware the death rate amongst deer on the west coast of Ross-shire 

 was always higher than in this part of the country, but when we look at the 

 pasture on the west coast and in the Islands, it is very different from ours. 

 The grass, etc., may have a good deal to do with it. But I never was in an 

 island forest, so I must be quiet. 



(Signed) HUGH Ross. 



The observations made in the second paragraph of this paper 

 must be borne in mind, and we must also remember that our 

 search for dead deer is strenuous and diligent, whereas in other 

 places, so far as I know, they are neither sought after nor recorded, 

 and often not willingly acknowledged. The last remark does 

 not apply to Dibidale. Only a small proportion of the Dibidale 

 stags are likely to exceed 6 years of age. The district is shot 

 very severely. 



The Jura death rate for 1890 also proves to be quite moderate. 

 It is 2 per cent, for stags and for hinds 2\ per cent. Dead 

 calves discovered are 10 per cent. The dead stags were mostly 

 rubbish. It would be quite easy to overlook nearly the whole of 

 these dead animals, if careful search was not made. The bodies 

 disappear very quickly, leaving, for a time, only a gruesome 

 carpet of hair, consequently the search must be made at the right 

 time or it will be nugatory. 



Jura stags carry a considerably higher average condition 

 than Ross-shire stags in the Dibidale district ; they are much 

 fatter and better venison. No doubt the average age is 4 or 5 

 years above that of the Ross-shire stags when killed, perhaps 

 more. No warbles or decayed horns in Jura. 



