DAYS OF DEER-STALKING. 



CHAPTER I. 



OF THE NATURE AND HABITS OF THE RED DEER. 



Descriptive character of the red deer. Royal harts. Shedding and renewal of the horns. 

 Weight of deer. Donald M'Kay's deer-trap. Rutting season. Combats of stags. 

 Deer stalked while fighting. Calving of hinds. Shyness and defusive instincts of 

 deer. The bay. Traditional longevity. Red deer venison. Sir W. Scott's letter. 

 Singular instance of a stag's ferocity. Deer-drive in Atholl in 1563. Hunting the 

 stag. Deer-stalking. 



I am a hart by Greekes surnamed so, 

 Because my head doth with their tearmes agree ; 

 For stately shape few such on earth do goe, 

 So that by right they have so termed me. 

 For king's delight it seems I was ordayned, 

 Whose huntsmen yet pursue me day by day, 

 In forrest, chace, and parke, I am constrained 

 Before their hounds to wander many a way. 

 Wherefore who lyst to learne the perfect trade 

 Of venerie, and therewith all would know 

 What properties and virtues nature made 

 In me poor hart (0 harmless hart !) to grow, 

 Let him give ear to skilfull Trystram's lore 

 To Phoebus, Fowylloux, and many more.* 



" Cervus Elaplms, cornibus ramosis, teretibus, recurvatis" 

 Linn. Eight cutting teeth in the tipper jaw, and none in 

 the lower. 



Stags are found in all the northern regions, Lapland, 

 perhaps, excepted; in Asia, especially in Tartary, and in 

 the northern provinces of China; they are also found in 

 America. Those of Canada differ from ours only in the 

 length of their horns, and direction of their antlers, which 

 are not so straight as with us, but are turned backward, so 

 that the end of each points to the stem of the horns. 



* The noble Art of Venerie, translated from tha French, p. 39. 



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