6o CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 



which the stags consort with the hinds, is early in 

 October ; and of all animals with which I am ac- 

 quainted, the hind is the most regular as regards 

 the period of gestation. The writer of the ' Art of 

 Venerie ' says that he had known by experience, 

 ' that when a hinde would conceive, she attendeth 

 untill the star Arcture be raysed, and caryeth her 

 calfe eight or nine monthes, the which are calved 

 in May commonly, altho' I have seen some falle 

 later, according to the nouriture and age of the 

 hinde.' With this I cannot agree. In my long- 

 experience I have known but two instances in which 

 the hind did not drop her calf between the 7th and 

 the 21st of June. In one of the two excepted 

 instances, the calf was born in September, and in 

 the other, but from untoward circumstances, would 

 have seen the light in that month. 



The first instance occurred many years ago. 

 While trying for a stag at Bray, near Bratton, North 

 Devon, in the month of September, the hounds broke 

 covert on a hind. The whip, Joe Faulkner (then in 

 the service of Lord Fortescue) followed to stop them. 

 On reaching Newtown Bridge (about two miles from 

 the covert) the hind was found swimming round a 

 pool in the river with the tufters after her. The 

 hounds were whipped off, but not until afier signs 



