412 The Book of the Horse. 



Windsor and Richmond ; the stock is from time to time crossed with stags of vigorous character 

 from other parks. 



Stags with their horns cut were at one time used ; but, confirming the dicta of Nicholas 

 Cox, it was found difficult to make them run well. Therefore, between October and Christmas, 

 hinds and haviers (castrated harts) have been preferred, and form the majority of what may- 

 be called the deer stud. Calves castrated never throw up any horns at all, while those operated 

 on as yearlings throw up one set of short horns, which are never renewed.* 



About a score, chosen for their vigour, are turned into a series of paddocks. During the 

 hunting season they are fed on good hay, old beans, and carrots ; they keep themselves in 

 condition by playing about. The deer-cart, very like a race-horse van, holds two deer. The 

 day before hunting a dog trained for the purpose is set to separate a selected pair from the 

 herd, and drive them into a shed just big enough to hold them. As they are often fierce, when 

 the deer-keeper has to go into the shed he protects himself with a large wooden shield. On 

 the morning of the hunt the deer-cart is backed close against a movable door, and the first 

 deer is driven into the cart — after one or two days' experience they willingly go in of them- 

 selves — a slide partition is then introduced ; the first deer being shut in with his head to the 

 door, the reserve deer is sent in with his head to the horses. 



After one season the deer generally learn that the cart is a harbour of refuge, and when 

 it is brought up after the chase leap into it of their own free will. 



The average work of each deer does not exceed three runs in a season. They have 

 been known to last five and even six seasons ; one, which had been hunted four times a season 

 for five years, had not a bite on him when he was killed, in consequence of an accident in 

 the barn where he was shut up after a tremendous run. 



The following extract from " The Hunting Diary " of a French nobleman gives an idea of 

 the impression produced on an intelligent foreign sportsman by our Royal Hunt : — 



" Un jour j'assistais a une chasse a courre avec la meute royale dans les environs de Windsor. 



" J'etais arrive au rendezvous tout plein de mes impressions des chasses de Compiegne et de Rambouillet, at, bien 

 que je m'attendisse a voir qiielque chose de different, j'esperais rencontrer un style, une grandeur quelconque. 



" Cette illusion fut de coiu'te duree. 



" Je m'apper(;us bientot que Tcitiquette etait bannie pour faire place au sans fa(^on le plus complet, il me semblait 

 que quiconque possedant un cheval etait venu se Joindre aux piqucurs pour jouir d'un temps de galop. 



'■ Neanmoins, ces apparences me semblant en quelque sorte subversives je resolus de les approfondir, et 

 m'adressant a mon compagnon, charmant gar(;on Capitaine aux Gardes, je lui demandai si reellement ces messieurs 

 en habits ecarlates et ces brillantes amazones, appartenaient tous a I'aristocratie. ' Pas le moins du monde,' me 

 repondit il en souriant, 'la plupart sent ce que vous appelez en France, des epiciers.' 



" ' lis appartiennent au commerce et a la bourgeoisie ; je puis vous montrer ici, trois marchands de vin, deux 

 tailleurs, un notaire, deux commissaires priseurs, et un restaurateur ; cependant, je puis vous designer aussi, le Ministre 

 des Affairs Etrangcres et un ex-Lord Chancelier. 



•' ' Quant aux dames, cette grosse brune est une marchande de modes, plus loin cette blonde qui a sans doute 

 perdu son pcigne pour montrer que ses magnifiques chevciix sont « ellc, est sans profession, enfin cette mignonne 

 creature a votre droite est un professeur d'cquitation pour dames et autres dit on.' 



" N'ayant aucune raison de douter de la veracite de mon ami, je nc pus m' empecher de souhaiter qu'en France 

 nous puissions nous enorgueillir d'une telle bourgeoisie car tous les chasseurs etaient admirablement montes et la 

 plupart m'ont paru C-tre e.xcellents i-ruyers." — " Souvenirs dc Chusse,^' par le Daron de Saiiviac. 



The twelfth Earl of Derby kept a pack of hounds for hunting carted deer near Cro\-don 

 at the commencement of this ccntur_\-, which have been fully described in one of "Nimrod's" 



The ileei tiilie, unlikL' ilie anlclo[>e aiiil slieep, cliaiige their lionis .Tiinually. 



