37 



Mr. A. G. Cameron, to whom I am indebted for many 

 valued suggestions, has pointed out that this paper contains no 

 history of the calves from their birth till they are eight months 

 old. 



We cannot disturb the nursery without doing mischief, and we 

 have never counted calves till February, when there is good day- 

 light, and the hinds are chiefly in low ground. Neither could 

 we count hinds and calves in July or August if we tried ; they 

 are strong and wild at that time of year, and move about in large 

 masses when disturbed. It would be like trying to count a 

 plateful of fleas. Consequently we can only arrive at the deaths 

 in the nursery, and during the first eight months, by the inductive 

 process of reasoning. 



Taking the yield of calves as counted in 1890 at 37 calves 

 (alive Feb.) for 100 hinds of i year old and upwards, we may 

 draw up a table of losses from the date of calving in June till Feb. 

 We will take 100 hinds (i year old and upwards.) 

 Deduct 30 for hinds too young to breed. 



Leaves 70 adult hinds. 



Deduct i 14 for yeld hinds. 



Leaves 56 in-calf hinds, or 56 born to 100 hinds. 

 (About 33/ ) deduct 19 dead by end of February. 



Leaves 37 calves alive in February, produced by 

 100 hinds. 



This calculation shows that about one-third part of the calves 

 born to i oo hinds died before we made our count, that is to say 

 these died during the first eight months, leaving 37 calves alive 

 by count of 1890 to 100 hinds. Out of the residue (37 calves) 

 our death lists show one-fifth part more usually fails to enter the 

 second year of existence. Consequently, taking 37 calves alive 

 in Feb. as a basis, 100 hinds produce 29-4 year-old deer. 



Our tables are mostly on the basis of 35 calves to 100 hinds, 

 which brings out a result of 28 year-old deer as the produce 

 of 100 hinds, and as the births are 56, it follows that half the 



