HARBOURING AND TUFTING. 147 



chopped. For instance, in November, 1883, hounds 

 hunted up to a hind, after a long- check, on a very 

 boggy patch of ground. She lay fast till they were on 

 her back, and being unable, though quite fresh, to 

 keep clear of them in the soft ground, was pulled over 

 at once. A still more curious scene was witnessed 

 later in the same year. A hind much distressed, and 

 but a short distance before the hounds, lay down in a 

 patch of thick low gorse. Just as she did so a stag 

 rose up close to her, and about ten yards from one of 

 the sportsmen who was watching her, and made as 

 though to drive her off; but catching sight of the 

 hounds working through the furze close by, he at once 

 dropped down again with his chin pressed tight against 

 the ground and his horns flat on his back. While look- 

 ing at him the man who was observing this little scene 

 saw a second stag lying down still nearer to him, but 

 peering cautiously over the top of his hiding place. 

 Hearing a hound speak, this stag too pressed his head 

 down ; and so the three lay fast until hounds were 

 within a few feet of them, and one of the deer was 

 bound to move. The victim, needless to say, was the 

 hunted hind, and though the hounds crashed after her 

 in view the stags never moved, and were still lying in 

 the same place an hour later. Stags will often hurl 



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