THE RED DESK'S LIFE 43 



peculiarity-of the Islay Forest, about which Mr. 

 Cameron specially writes, is the habitual recurrence 

 of 'cromie heads' (Gaelic: cromagach, 'crooked'). 

 ' There is no question of organic injury, no apparent 

 reference to ancestral legacies, no reason to suppose 

 that in-breeding produces effects in one island or 

 district which it does not produce in another. 

 " Cromie " antlers slope backwards, very much after 

 one type, and are often of great beauty.' It is hardly 

 necessary to remind the public that the colour of red 

 deer varies not only with the summer and winter 

 coat for that is obvious but also with particular 

 districts. The Scotch stag which has been referred 

 to as introduced to Martindale was of a greyer 

 colour than the Lakeland stags. Mr. Carter remarks 

 that this variation is not confined to the coat but 

 also applies to the irides. ' Some are much lighter 

 coloured than others, and have an eye with a straw- 

 coloured iris ; others have a dark brown eye, and the 

 red of the bodies and the browns and grey about the 

 face, neck, and legs much darker in tone. So far as 

 my experience goes, I am of opinion that the dark 

 deer belong to the Highlands and Islands of Scot- 

 land, and the light-eyed deer of a lighter and more 

 mealy colour, belong to the parks and lowlands, being 

 also larger and partaking more of the character of the 



