THE STAG, OR RED DEER. 695 



loud whistling sound, which on a clear quiet day may be heard at the distance of a mile. 

 While uttering this sound, the animal raises its head in a very peculiar manner, and 

 seems to eject the cry by a kind of spasmodic jerk. The flesh of the Wapiti is in great 

 favor among hunters, while the marrow-bones 'are prized as great dainties. The skin is 

 also valuable, being employed in the manufacture of mocassins, belts, thongs, and other 

 articles where strength and flexibility are required. The teeth are employed by the 

 Indians in decorating their dresses ; and a robe thus adorned, which is in the possession 

 of Mr. Audubon, was valued by its manufacturers as equivalent to thirty horses. The 

 horns are also employed for various useful purposes. It is a remarkable fact, that in 

 no two individuals are the horns precisely alike. 



The STAG, or RED DEER, is spread over many parts of Europe and Asia, and is indig- 

 enous to the British Islands, where it still lingers, though in vastly reduced numbers. 



In the olden days of chivalry and Robin Hood, the Red Deer were plentiful in every 

 forest ; and especially in that sylvan chase which was made by the exercise of royal 

 tyranny at the expense of such sorrow and suffering. Even in the New Forest itself 

 the Red Deer is seldom seen, and those few survivors that still serve as relics of a 

 bygone age, are scarcely to be reckoned as living in a wild state, and approach nearly to 

 the semi-domesticated condition of the Fallow Deer. Many of these splendid animals 

 are preserved in parks or paddocks, but they no more roam the wide forests in unques- 

 tioned freedom. In Scotland, however, the Red Deer are still to be found, as can be 

 testified by many a keen hunter of the present day, who has had his strength, craft, and 

 coolness thoroughly tested before he could lay low in the dust the magnificent animal, 

 whose head with its forest of horns now 'graces his residence. 



Formerly, the Stag was placed under the protection of the severest penalties, its 

 slaughter being visited with capital punishment on the offender if he could be known 

 and arrested. Indeed, a man who murdered his fellow might hope to escape retribution 

 except by the avenging hand of some relation of the slain man, but if he were unfortunate 

 or daring enough to dip his hands in the blood of a Stag he could hope for no mercy 

 if he were detected in the offence. 



All the ancient works on hunting are filled with the praises of the Stag, which is 

 belauded with a fluency of language and a fertility of expression that throw the modern 

 sporting terminology completely into the shade. Every minute particular concerning 

 the Stag itself, or the details of hunting, killing, cooking, and serving the animal is 

 graced with its appropriate phrase, and if a gentleman should have perchance misplaced 

 or omitted one of these ceremonious appellations, he would have been held in very low 

 esteem by his compeers. 



Although the Stag has been several times partially domesticated and trained to run in 

 harness, it is a very capricious animal, and not a very safe servant. About the month 

 of August the Stag always becomes very much excited, as that is the time when he seeks 

 his mate, and during a space of three or four weeks the animal is testy and irritable in 

 temper, and prone to attack with a kind of blind rage every other animal except a female 

 of his own species. Comparatively tame Stags become dangerous at such a season, and 

 have frequently assaulted those human beings to whom they were formerly attached. 

 The sad death of a lady by an infuriated Stag is of recent occurrence, and may serve as 

 a warning to persons who are ignorant of the strange fury that makes annual seizure 

 of the animal's nature. 



In the attack the Stag uses his fore-feet with as much force as the horns, and often 

 with terrible effect, inasmuch as his opponent is seldom prepared for such a mode of 

 action. The hard, pointed, sharp-edged hoofs of the creature become most formidable 

 weapons in this mode of fighting, and are urged with such force and velocity that the 

 coming blow can hardly be avoided. I once narrowly escaped an unexpected blow 

 from a Stag's hoof. I had been feeding the animal with tufts of grass, and was strok- 

 ing his neck and shoulders, when he suddenly reared up, and struck two blows 

 with his fore-feet with such rapidity that although I was aware of his intention, and 

 sprang backwards, the second stroke just reached one finger, and disabled it for 

 some days. 



