DEER. 347 



longer. In spite of traditions as to the great age attained by stags, it appears 

 that the ordinary limit of life is about twelve years, although a few individuals 

 may survive to twenty years. Red deer are essentially shy and wary animals ; and, 

 in the open districts which they frequent in Scotland, can detect an enemy at an 

 immense distance. When all the members of a herd are together, the chief duty of 

 watching appears to fall on the hinds, but at other times the stags have to depend 

 on their own alertness. When their foes are in sight, deer will watch them with the 

 greatest coolness and circumspection, but they become anxious and restless when 

 they have reason to suspect the near presence of a concealed enemy. 



In Scotland, deer are now killed only by driving or stalking; 



TTnYi+iTio* 



although wild red deer are still hunted with hounds in Devonshire, 

 no less than 276 having been killed there in the five years ending 1892. Formerly 

 it was the custom in Scotland to surround a large tract of countiy with a circle of 

 beaters ; and deer-driving on a large scale is now practised in Austria and some 

 other parts of the continent. When hunted, as indeed at other times, red deer will 

 take freely to the water ; and when a wounded stag is hotly pursued by deer- 

 hounds, he generally seeks refuge in the mountain streams, where his length of leg 

 gives him a great advantage over his pursuers. Sometimes, writes Mr. Scrope, a 

 stag " will stand upon a rock in the midst of the river, making a most majestic 

 appearance ; and in this case it will always be found that the spot on which he 

 stands is not approachable on his rear. In this situation he takes such a sweep 

 with his antlers, that he could exterminate a whole pack of the most powerful 

 lurchers that were pressing too close upon him in front. He is secure from all but 

 man ; and the rifle-shot must end him. Superior dogs may pull him down when 

 running, but not when he stands at bay." It may be added that, when disturbed, 

 deer invariably run up wind. 



In addition to the red deer, Asia possesses several closely allied 

 P forms, which are generally regarded as distinct species, although 



it may be a question whether it would not be better to consider them all as 

 local races. One of the best known of these Asiatic deer is the hangul or 

 Kashmir stag (G. kashmirianus). This species stands about 4 feet 4 inches at the 

 shoulder, and differs from the red deer in that each antler (as shown in A of the 

 figure on p. 340), usually has but five tines, so that no cup is tonne, 1 at the 

 crown, which is simply forked. Moreover, the whole beam of the antler is much 

 curved, with the main tine of the surroyals (e) greatly inclined inwards: while 

 the bez-tine is generally longer than the brow-tine, or just the reverse of the 

 condition obtaining in the red deer. Occasionally, six or even seven points may 

 be counted in the antlers of the hangul. In colour, this deer closely resembles the 

 European species. Whereas, however, the call of the red deer during the pairing 

 season is a loud squeal, ending in a more guttural tone, in the hangul it is 

 distinctly a roar, which maybe compared to that of a leopard. The antlers of 

 the Kashmir stag average about 40 inches in length, but specimens have been 

 obtained of which the measurements were respectively 52, 53, and 55 inches. 



The true hangul is confined to the mountains surrounding the valley of 

 Kashmir and some of the adjacent districts. There is, however, a deer from 

 Eastern Turkestan known as the Yarkand stag, which appears to be merely a 



