82 CENTRAL AMERICA. 



CHAPTER VI. 



DEER STALKING. — DESTROYING DEER. — DEER SHOOTING. 

 KING OF THE VULTURES. — SIGHT OR SMELL. 



The commonest species of deer in Central 

 America is a very large kind of roebuck. 

 The males have short horns, about ten or 

 twelve inches in length, with two or three 

 short tyne on them. Their weight runs from 

 one hundred and twenty to one hundred and 

 sixty, or one hundred and seventy, pounds, 

 when well grown. I have never shot any 

 weighing more than one hundred and seventy 

 pounds, of this species, but I am sure I have 

 seen bucks heavier, though I could not get 

 them to scale : also, I must remark, that it 

 was but seldom there was an opportunity of 

 weighing one ; for many were shot and left 

 where they fell, after having cut oiF the two 

 legs. In such cases, it is useless taking any 

 other part, unless for immediate use, not even 

 the haunch, as any part with bone interstices 

 becomes very soon uneatable. 



There is nothing to distinguish the common 

 way of stalking these deer, or any other kind, 



