470 THE BUCK. 



of a dark brown, sometimes almost blackish brown, is well 

 known to have been imported by James I. from Norway, where 

 perhaps it had gradually acquired that power of enduring cold, 

 which renders it more easily kept in our fickle climate than the 

 common variety, which, in its pure state, is reddish brown 

 spotted with white. This intolerance of cold would seem, 

 however, to be the result of the semi-domestic state in which 

 they are kept in our parks. 



In Richmond Park the number of fallow-deer is generally 

 about one thousand six hundred Numerous and extensive 

 herds still exist in the New Forest, Hampshire. Herds of 

 them are also kept in the parks of Ireland j but they are 

 much more abundant in Scotland, not only in enclosures, but 

 at large over the country, although they are, doubtless, the 

 descendants of semi-domestic individuals. In Forfar and Perth- 

 shire, they inhabit many of the lowland plantations, retiring 

 into the wooded retreats during the warm seasons ; but in the 

 severity of winter troops of six or eight together emerge from 

 their seclusion to invade the cottage gardens. In a nearly 

 natural state they are plentiful in the central part of the 

 Grampians, from whence perhaps they will extend their range 

 to those mountainous districts where plantations have been 

 formed. They abound most on the southern part of the bleak 

 and, generally, naked ridge of Minigny, which lies between the 

 Glen of Athol on the south, and Badenach on the north, and 

 intermediate to the lofty summits of Ben-y-glac on the east, 

 and the pass of Dalnavardoch on the west. Many deer are, 

 however, found towards the eastern part of this ridge on the 

 lands of the Duke of Gordon and others. They are rarely 

 seen on the summits ; but usually in the glens of the Tilt and 

 Bruar, often in herds of upwards of a thousand ; and when the 

 solitary traveller is twenty or thirty miles away from any 

 human abode, he finds a subject of interesting contemplation, 

 when he looks up and beholds upon the heights several 

 bucks with their branching horns relieved upon the clear 

 mountain sky. 



