IV. Order Ungulata, or Hoofed Mammals 



Red Deer. — ^We shall never forget our first sight of 

 the wild Red Deer in its native fastness among the High- 

 lands of Scotland (Fig. 15). It was a day of glorious sun- 

 shine in mid-January. The snow crj'stals glistened Hke 

 myriads of diamonds as the rays of the sun shed their 

 light upon the white-capped peaks, and these were 

 wonderfully mirrored in the waters of the loch which we 

 were traversing. We were awed by the might and 

 majesty of the scene through which we were passing, 

 the Paps of Glencoe, and the shore-entrance to the 

 scene of the historical massacre on our right, the steep 

 banks of the forest of Morar on our left. Whilst 

 thus engaged, suddenly in the mirrored water, as if deep 

 down among its Hmpid depths, we saw silhouetted 

 against the rugged grandeur of the reflected mountain- 

 side the images of a small herd of Red Deer ! The 

 reader who can best appreciate the scene will be able to 

 realise the magical effect upon the eye of anyone who, 



steeped in a love for the fauna and flora of his own 



77 



