ii8 STAG- HUNTING ON EXMOOR. 



the deer assists the operation by rubbing his head 

 ag-ainst a tree-trunk. Such trees are called "fraying- 

 stocks," and, if young, are not unlikely to be killed in 

 the process. Stags, however, have more than once 

 been found by the hounds with the velvet on, and 

 killed a few hours later with a clean head. The old 

 stags are usually the first to lose the velvet, just as 

 they are the first to shed their horns. Under the 

 velvet (the loss of which is accompanied by some 

 slight bleeding) the horn is white, but soon becomes 

 coloured by the weather ; and by October, owing to 

 frequent mud baths, is generally quite black. The 

 reader can guess that during the soft stage of the 

 horn the stags lead a miserable life. Flies and other 

 insects worry them incessantly ; and they hardly dare 

 move their heads from fear of injury. A twig glanc- 

 ing back in the tender velvet would draw blood, so 

 they dare not go in to the thick covers; and a 

 scramble over a thick-grown bank may, by chance, 

 produce the same result, so even the quest of food, or 

 indeed any movement, is an anxious matter. The 

 full-grown heads of a great many old stags show, if 

 carefully examined, one antler or more that is slightly 

 bent or twisted, evidently the result of some accident 

 during the velvet stage. 



