THE RED DEER 345 



to man's appetite and comfort. From the very earliest 

 times Deer were viewed chiefly through the eyes of the 

 sportsman, and stringent game laws prevented the commoner 

 people taking any practical interest in them. 



In Britain there are comparatively few Deer ; the Red 

 and the Roe Deer are found wild in Scotland and a few 

 other districts ; and semi-domesticated Fallow Deer adorn 

 many parks up and down the country. Upon various estates 

 are small herds of imported foreign species that easily 

 become acclimatised, and thrive so well as to make it a 

 matter of regret that so little has been done in this direction. 

 In the royal forests, and on the estates of the princes and 

 rich feudal lords of Germany, Austria, and Russia are 

 great herds of Red, Fallow, and other species. In some of 

 the great hunting-parties organised by the Kaiser it is no 

 uncommon thing for two hundred head of Deer to mark 

 the result of a single day's sport. 



Deer may be classified according to their tail, feet, or 

 antlers. The best known species easily fall into the 

 following : 



Short-tailed Deer. Red Deer, Wapiti, Elk, Reindeer, 

 Sambar, Swamp Deer, Schomburgk's Deer, Roe Deer, 

 Virginian Deer, and Chinese Elaphure. 



Long-tailed Deer. Fallow Deer, Manchurian and Japanese 

 Deer, Hog Deer, and Axis Deer. 



Of the many species of Deer can be selected but a few of 

 the most typical representatives, but the particulars con- 

 cerning them will include the chief interesting facts con- 

 nected with the life-history of most of this large assemblage 

 of species. For convenience' sake we take them more or 

 less in regional groups, rather than follow in strictly 

 scientific order. 



RED DEER (Cervus elaphus). 

 Coloured Plate XXIV. Fig. i. 



Before cultivation had extended so thoroughly over Great 

 Britain the Red Deer abounded in great numbers. It was 

 protected by the severest laws ; deer-stealers were accounted 



