ROE AND RED-DEER 89 



four feet at the shoulder. Its pose, resources. When old hands tell of 



when the head is raised, is nobler than their best day, it is not that on which 



any creature of the wilds. No adorn- they grassed the biggest number. But, 



ment so picturesque as the horns which in an open scene, with a puzzling wind, 



it wears. In forest-deer the branching when by crawling a few yards at a 



is not so free, though the body is time, in the shadowless intervals, they 



heavier. They are antlered monarchs succeeded, after several hours, in get- 



of the waste. Nor even there does ting within shot. 



any fixed proportion exist between Such stalking demands a wide hori- 



weight and the numbers of points. zon. The Scottish forest is not under 



While a stag of 22 stone 6 Ib. yielded the shade of trees. It is a wild and 



a head of ten, another of 14 stone diversified scene ; heathery moor, bare 



6 Ib. bore seventeen points. The hillside, and bouldered torrent. No 



famous Glenquoich stag of twenty, two are quite alike, save in that none 



weighed but 16 stone 6 Ib. It would of them is a forest in the usual signi- 



almost seem as though the horns ficance of the word. At most, is a 



branched at the expense of the body, strip of wood, here and there, for 



A head of twelve is a royal. The head winter and rough weather. In the 



is sought rather than the weight, barer scenes, the corries into which 



Unlike the roe, head and body are the ruder hill sides are riven serve for 



perfect at the same time. The antlers shelter. Wooded patches are set aside 



lend to the sport of their own pictur- for sanctuaries, where is immunity 



esqueness a touch of charm, a glow of from attack. Old stags graze within 



chivalry. Incalculable would be the easy reach, or make for these on the 



loss, were the season a hornless one. first alarm. 



In certain of the greater forests, Cloud and sunshine serve for stalk- 

 driving is justly regarded as fitted only ing as for fishing ; the time of day, 

 for the weak and worn out. Says a in both cases, morning and evening, 

 great Highland chief " I'd as soon Some one has defined shooting as an 

 go into a farm yard and shoot at art, fishing as a science. Like all 

 cows." A collie may be used for smart sayings, this is only a half truth, 

 tracking, but is often dispensed with, of which the converse is equally true. 

 Even the gillie is left behind, that There is art in fishing, and, certainly, 

 the stalker may be thrown on his own there is science in deer stalking. A 



