272 STAG-HUNTING 



Dr. Collyns writing in 1860 says, ' It is rare at the 

 present day to kill a stag furnished with horns of such 

 size as many of those kept at Castle Hill, Barons- 

 down, Holnicote, Worth, and elsewhere, as trophies 

 of the chase in times gone by.' It may be doubted, 

 however, whether this was true in 1860, and certainly 

 it is not now, as the subjoined measurements will 

 show. Mr. Birmingham measured Sir Thomas 

 Acland's heads ; the others were kindly measured for 

 me by Mr. Rowland Ward. The obituary notices 

 assigned to the heads of Sept. 5, 1803, and Aug. 14, 

 1812, are not quite certain. The former was bought 

 at the Worth House sale a few years ago ; so there 

 can be little doubt that it came off a stag killed by 

 the hounds while Mr. Worth had them, and as its 

 points correspond with those of Mr. Worth's first stag, 

 and it was honoured with gilding, I have put it down 

 to that day's sport. The other may have been killed 

 from the Stoodleigh covers on Oct. 12, 1814, instead 

 of on Aug. 14, 1812, but is unquestionably one of my 

 great-grandfather's trophies. 



The harems of our master stags seldom exceed 

 half a dozen hinds ; and this, coupled with a milder 

 climate and good food, would account for there being 

 as a rule more substance and growth in the horns of 

 our deer than in those of Scotch ones. They do 



