24 LONGEVITY OF DEEK. 



found in Africa : and how far they misconstrued the lives 

 and duration of animals is evident, from their conceit of 

 the crow, which they presume to live for five hundred 

 years ; and the lives of hawks, which, according to ^Elian, 

 the Egyptians reckoned at no less than seven hundred." 



Setting aside the absurd story of the stag taken by 

 Charles the Sixth, let us see if there be any modern proof 

 that may throw light upon this subject. 



In the year 1826, the late Glengarry, accompanied by 

 Lord Fincastle, now Earl of Dunmore, was hunting in the 

 Garth of Glengarry. The beaters had been sent into a 

 wood, called Tor-na-carry : a fine stag soon broke forth, 

 and was going straight to Lord Fincastle, but, owing to 

 a slight swell or change of the current of air, he turned 

 towards Glengarry, who fired at and killed him. 



On going up to him a mark was discovered on his left 

 ear. The first man who arrived was asked what mark 

 it was. He replied that it was the mark of Ewen-mac-Jan 

 Og. Five others gave the same answer ; and, after con- 

 sulting together, all agreed that Ewen-mac-Jan Og had 

 been dead 150 years, and for thirty years before his death 

 had marked all the calves he could catch with this par- 

 ticular mark ; so that this deer (allowing the mark to have 

 been authentic) must have been 150 years old, and might 

 have been 180. The horns, which are preserved by the 

 present Glengarry, are not particularly large, but have a 

 very wide spread. 



Now this circumstance is clearly and honourably at- 

 tested : it was communicated to me both by the late and 

 present Glengarry : we must, therefore, either subscribe 

 at once to this longevity, or we must imagine (what, 



