26 DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



The colour varies slightly, but is usually of a reddish 

 brown, nearly black about the face, mingled with grey ; 

 a dark list down the hind part of the neck and between 

 the shoulders, and a light sort of buff colour between the 

 haunches and underneath. 



The horns vary in size and number of branches ; partly 

 owing to the age of the animal, and partly from other 

 causes ; and it must be remarked, that deer with few points 

 to their horns are sometimes larger and fatter than those 

 with many branches. In the forest of Atholl we had no 

 technical names for harts of different ages ; but they are 

 thus distinguished by park-keepers, and by those gentlemen 

 who keep stag-hounds in England : 



Before deer are one year old they are called (male and 

 female) Calves;* after one year old the male is termed a 

 Brocket; at three, a Spire; at four, a Staggart; at five, a 

 Stag; and at six a ivarrantdble Stag. He may afterwards 

 be called a Hart. The female, after one year old, is termed 

 a Hearst ; and at three years old a young Hind. 



The female does not cohabit with the male till three 

 years old. She never has more than one calf at a time, 

 though the contrary opinion has been entertained. 



The stag's brow bay and tray antlers are termed his 

 Rights; the upright points on the top of his horns are 

 called Crockets ; the horn itself the Beam ; the width the 

 Span ; the rough part of the base the Pearls. 1 ^ 



A Brocket has only knobbers, and small brow antlers; 

 a Spire, brow and uprights; a Staggart, brow, tray, and 

 uprights ; a five-year old, brow, bay, and tray ; two on top, 

 that is, a crocket on one horn, and an upright on the other. 

 A warrantable Stag has brow, bay, and tray, and two 

 points on the top of both horns. After this age their heads 

 vary very much in appearance. 



* Some limit the term of calf to six months only. 



t I am aware that these terms do not exactly correspond with those 

 mentioned in all the old authorities, neither do the latter always accord 

 with each other. I have taken my nomenclature from the Devonshire 

 Hunt, as the best authority. It has been founded considerably above a 

 century. Wriothesly, second Duke of Bedford, is the first person to whom 

 it can be traced : he died at Tavistock, in 1711. There are about .313 deer 

 in all the covers. Seventy were killed by the late Lord Graves in two 

 seasons. 



