12 DEER-STALKING. 



fall off; which the animal endeavours to hasten, hy 

 rubbiiig them against the trees : and in this manner 

 the whole head gradually acquires its complete hard- 

 ness, expansion, and heauty." The hind of the red 

 deer goes with its young a few days over eight 

 months. 



In England, the sporting uses of this nohle 

 specimen of the deer tribe are confined to the field. 

 The red deer is the proper quarry of the stag-hunter. 

 For that purpose he forms as integral a portion of a 

 stag-hunting establishment as the hounds or horses. 

 Red deer are stabled and brought into hunting con- 

 dition by means of hard meat, and the ordinary hunt- 

 ing-stable process. Still, stag-hunting is not the 

 sport we would see the youth trained to, or we desired 

 should take honours in the science of woodcraft. 

 Stalk, young friend, the good dun deer, and ye will 

 (and have the opportunity) but leave the chase of the 

 calf to the cockney, and eke the household herd of 

 Diana's disciples. 



Although we have attempted to initiate^ the un- 

 learned in the practical details of this first and most 

 regal sport, as at present used, it must not be for- 

 gotten that " its age of chivalry" hath long past away. 

 The golden era of deer-hunting, in all its branches, 

 must be placed at that epoch of an early history, 

 when every hill and mountain glen, every forest pass 

 and sylvan flat, every bog and morass was tenanted 

 by its fercB natures. The wild deer then held state 

 in the chase as the noblest of animals. It was far 



