PECULIARITIES OF DEER. 29 



sticks hurled at them, rather than face the hidden but 

 half-detected danger in front. 



Deer startled early in the day will be apt to shift their 

 ground much further, and even when settled again be 

 far more restless, tlian those disturbed at feeding-time 

 in the afternoon. On a fine calm day they will not 

 move nearly so far as on a cold day, with half a gale 

 blowing. Indeed, in a high wind deer play the most 

 fanciful tricks, and will start suddenly, and of their own 

 accord, and dash off full tilt, and go a mile or two for no 

 reason at all. On such days, unless the wind is exactly 

 right for the ground to be stalked, it is far wiser to stay 

 at home and shoot grouse or rabbits, or go fishing, 

 or write letters, or sleep by the smoking-room fire ; in 

 short, do anything but go into the forest, where your 

 presence will be certain to do more harm than good, 

 by sending the deer far and wide. 



In fine warm weather stags will mostly be on the 

 very highest hills, and on wet, cold, stormy days on 

 lower ground. They are always sharply observant of 

 other creatures : grouse, ptarmigan, hares, ravens, and 

 foxes, any of these, if they have been disturbed by man 

 will tell them at once of danger, although if either one 

 or the other move about simply for their own pleasure 

 or convenience, they are allowed to pass by totally 

 unheeded. 



In stalking on ground that is not cleared, sheep will 

 give deer the alarm at once, and if during a stalk sheep 

 be met with, there is nothing for it but to stop quite 

 still, and then gradually to sink down and let them 

 look till they are tired of it, when they will usually 



