406 WILD BOAR AND REIN-DEER. 



The breed of deer hounds chiefly in use is the rough 

 wire-haired Scotch or Irish greyhound. 



The present Earl of Fife has tried many spirited ex- 

 periments by the introduction of different animals into this 

 celebrated forest. He brought over capercalies from 

 the north, and they increased to the number of twelve ; but 

 when the place was let, and the birds were removed, they 

 soon died. He has now procured two more old ones ; and 

 has succeeded, I am told, in rearing up another brood. 

 The wild boar also was introduced at the advice of the 

 Margrave of Anspach, who was at Marr Lodge for a 

 fortnight, but the experiment did not answer for want of 

 acorns, which are their principal food; if these animals, 

 however, were turned out young, the ant hills, which 

 abound in the forest, might probably be an efficient sub- 

 stitute. Rein-deer were also introduced by his lordship, 

 but they all died, notwithstanding one of them was turned 

 out on the summits, which are covered with dry moss, on 

 which, it was supposed, they would be able to subsist. In 

 spite of these failures, Lord Fife wished to see if the 

 chamois would live in his alpine domains, and he imported 

 five of these animals from Switzerland : his late Majesty, 

 however, having expressed a wish to have them at Windsor, 

 they were accordingly sent there, where they produced 

 young ones. A wooden tower was built for them, and 

 they raced up and down it as if they had been amongst 

 their native rocks. They died from having eaten some 

 poisonous herb, so that, on all accounts, it is very much to 

 be regretted that they were not sent originally to the Marr 

 Forest, 



The remaining trees in Braemar are the last of the old 



