62 STAG-HUNTING ON EXMOOR. 



than twenty years, but we have still many yeomen and 

 farmers of the same good old stamp, the most honest, 

 courteous, and hospitable of nature's gentlemen, with 

 whom it is a pleasure to deal in every business of life 

 as well as in the hunting-field. 



Dr. Collyns had been a keen stag-hunter for more 

 than forty-seven years. A friend to all sport, he had 

 ever since his migration to Dulverton at the beginning 

 of the century made the chase of the deer and the 

 habits of the animal his favourite study outside of his 

 profession. He had seen the sport in its palmiest and 

 in its most desperate days, had cherished it (to quote 

 Mr. Bisset) in prosperity and shielded it in adversity. 

 In the course of his long experience he had gathered 

 an immense mass of materials on his favourite subject, 

 which after long delay v/ere worked up into his book 

 on "The Chase of the Wild Red Deer." His last 

 public work was to attend a meeting of the Devon and 

 Somerset Hunt Committee on the ist of April, 1864; 

 and less than a fortnight later he was carried to his 

 grave, followed by a great concourse of people from 

 every rank of life, who knew him not only as a good 

 sportsman, but as a kind, genial, and generous friend. 



The accounts of the deer on the Forest during these 

 years continued to be satisfactory ; and it was evident 



