The Red Deer 



7 



In an eleven-pointer the five-pointed horn usually shows one of 

 these two combinations, while the six-pointed horn has brow, bay, 

 tray, and cup of three at top. 



This brow, bay, and tray, with three points at top in the shape 

 of a cup, when developed on each horn, make up the royal or 

 twelve-pointer, which is the nor- 

 mal "full head" for a red deer 

 stag. Such a stag may, how- 

 ever, continue to develop more 

 points, generally by additions to 

 the cup, or the double cup, till 

 he has forty-four or even more 

 points, although as a rule the 

 mass of the horns does not 

 increase, but is only sub-divided 

 into more points. 



Sometimes a point projects 

 backwards about level with the 

 tray-point or slightly above it 

 (thus reverting to the point car- 

 ried by the fallow deer), and this 

 point may be forked ; but gener- 

 ally all the points above the 

 brow, bay, and tray are collected 

 in a cluster at the top of the beam, till, when a great number of 

 points are developed, an almost palmated appearance is given to 

 the horn. As a stag gets past his prime the horns become stunted, 

 and the increase of points ceases. 



" OLD UGLY" 

 RED DEER STAG SHOT BY AUTHOR IN GLEN 



STRATHFARRAR, INVERNESS-SHIRE, 

 APPROACHING SIKA AND ROE-DEER TYPE. 



