1 84 DEER-STALKING 



eaten by rabbits or trampled on by pheasants, a 

 Devonshire landowner should be prohibited from 

 preserving the latter or from forming a rabbit forest 

 (i.e. warren). 



No. 5 is a matter of opinion which has no bearing 

 on the question, and No. 6 is nonsense. 



As regards the other three points, it is only here 

 possible to give the pith of what the Commissioners say 

 by means of a short extract, but the whole chapter on 

 ' Deer Forests and Game ' is well worth reading. 



They say, in respect of the first objection, that they 

 only found during the course of the inquiry ' one clearly 

 established case in evidence of the removal of crofters 

 for the purpose of adding to an already existing forest.' 



On the second point the report continues that ' it 

 may be fairly stated that by far the larger portion of 

 land devoted to deer is to be found at such altitudes, 

 and consists so much of rock, heather, and moor as 

 to be unsuitable for crofters, except as sheilings or 

 summer grazings.' 



Thirdly, they lay it down as ' abundantly evident 

 that in view of the sheep in the United Kingdom 

 amounting to 27^ millions besides all the beef grown 

 at home, and all the beef and mutton imported, both 

 dead and alive, from abroad, the loss to the com- 

 munity is not only insignificant, but almost inappreci- 



