48 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE RED DEER 



drives, with the aid of numerous beaters, who frighten 

 the deer out of the small gulleys, and endeavour to 

 force them to face the guns which are posted wher- 

 ever the animals are expected to pass. The ancient 

 Greeks seem to have depended largely upon 

 the assistance of nets in obtaining most kinds of 

 game. The Rev. W. Houghton has drawn attention 

 to the fact that the Greek hunters, in the time of 

 Xenophon, anticipated a stag-hunt by setting a 

 number of traps in the covers which were expected 

 to supply a stag. The engine in question resembled 

 the devices used in Africa, India, and even Central 

 Asia, for taking ostriches and deer by the feet. ' It 

 consisted of a circular crown of yew twigs, twisted 

 strongly together. In this were fixed several spikes 

 of tough yew-wood and iron alternately, the latter 

 being the larger ; these spikes probably radiated 

 towards the centre of the circle, but we have no ac- 

 curate information on this point. We are not told what 

 was the ordinary diameter of these circular crowns of 

 yew- wood, but I apprehend it was about two feet. The 

 spikes were equidistant, and so arranged that they 

 permitted the foot of the animal to pass between 

 them and then closed upon the leg. To the peri- 

 phery of the " Podostrabe " (or crown of yew) a strong 

 noose or eye of twisted hemp was firmly attached. 



