300 



THE PRESERVATION OF GAME. 



ABOUT the beginning of the present century there was (com- 

 pared with present circumstances) little ground reserved exclu- 

 sively for deer. Many even of the forests were partially 

 grazed by " black cattle," the deer being sparsely scattered 

 over tracts of mountain and moorland, where now they can 

 be seen in droves, tame almost like sheep. 



The exorbitant prices freely offered for forest-ground, have 

 tempted Highland proprietors to turn all they can into deer 

 grazing (not meant for a pun) ; and the lessees, being naturally 

 anxious to secure sport for their money, have crowded the 

 pasturage with as many deer as it can possibly keep, thus 

 following the example of grouse-tenants, but with the import- 

 ant difference in their favour, that deer, how numerous soever 

 they be, if well fed in winter, don't die off by disease. If a 

 man prefers to knock over half-a-dozen modern dwarfed harts 

 to one of those mighty stags which were the boast of our 

 ancestors, he has a right to his taste ; but let any true deer- 

 stalker drop a match to the stately animals of former years, 

 and I am much mistaken if he would change it for the de- 

 generate produce of half his season's present sport. 



In like manner every thorough grouse-shooter will far more 

 enjoy his twenty or thirty brace of picked birds, bagged over 

 superior well-broke dogs, than had he shot on moors so crowded 



