THE MANAGEMENT OF DEER FORESTS 77 



CHAPTER II 



THE MANAGEMENT OF DEER FORESTS 



A MORE perfect system of intercourse between the 

 Highlands and the southern parts of Great Britain, 

 together with frequent discussions, from its social 

 aspect, of the propriety of preserving deer for pur- 

 poses of sport, have familiarised almost everyone 

 with the expression, so that the question ' What is a 

 deer forest ? ' is now seldom asked by persons of an 

 inquiring turn of mind. It is generally understood 

 that the definition is misleading, inasmuch as there 

 need not be, and seldom are, any trees within the 

 area of pastureland set apart for the use of deer. At 

 the same time the fact that these areas should be 

 known by the name of Forests serves to confirm the 

 opinion, if confirmation be necessary, that vast 

 regions of the Highlands were in former times 

 covered with indigenous forests of the various species 

 of trees, whose descendants, in sadly diminished 

 numbers, are found at the present day scattered 



