there in 1888, with the skull of a calf firmly fixed in his 

 mouth. We have found deer choked with bones several times, 

 nearly always stags. It is often said only hinds eat bones or 

 horns ; of course this is an error, like many more things that are 

 " often said " about deer. Both sexes chew bones freely. 



Probably, as in the human species, females are more dexterous 

 than males. 



The bark, so-called, of a suspicious hind is an ominous sound, 

 only too well known to the deerstalker. I never saw or heard 

 any reference to the fact that stags occasionally bark just as 

 loudly and persistently as hinds ; the result of course is equally 

 disastrous. I only recall four such occasions, and therefore 

 conclude the performance is rare. 



Count of Ardfin (March, 1890) 118 hinds (i year old and sheepground, 

 above) 45 calves. Should have been counted same day as Ardfin. 

 Inner, but was not. This, however, is of little importance. 



Fertility. 37 calves to 100 hinds of i year old and 

 above. 



Ardfin is bounded, say half of it, by the sea, except on go g 

 North side, where it marches with Inner and Largy ; not a great 118 Hind, 

 extent of good shores. About 9,500 acres of unenclosed 

 ground, is naturally good deer ground, having a considerable ^oo Sheep, 

 extent of woods, perhaps towards 500 acres, and good ground Sa ^ ^ Acres 

 of all kinds. A considerable portion of Ardfin breeding stock 

 resides above the Ferry ; this is ground not much superior to 

 Inner, it is the most exposed part of Ardfin, Western exposure. 

 If stags had the Ardfin woods undisturbed, a number of splendid 

 wood stags would get together there ; the woods hold a few stags 

 now, and, as it is, 8 stags are yearly shot on Ardfin for the larder, 

 which have probably averaged about 15 stone, clean. 21 

 knobbers were counted on Ardfin. Cattle are about to make 

 way for more sheep on Ardfin, probably a change for the worse 

 as respects deer. The average weight of Ardfin stags has fallen 

 off lately. Ardfin stags are not often picked for their heads. 



Tarbert is about 24,000 acres, including Corrienaheira (3,500 farbert 

 acres of unenclosed ground). 91 stags were counted in 1880, Sheep ground 



