FENCING OF DEER-FORESTS. 61 



the herd the comparatively mild winters and rich 

 pasture soon told their tale. The greatest number of 

 points that are authenticated on a red stag is sixty-six. 

 On the frontispiece is a correct drawing of this head 

 from a print of Riedinger's, and for which I am in- 

 debted to the kindness of my friend, Mr. R. R. Holmes, 

 Her Majesty's Librarian at Windsor Castle. The head 

 is still in existence, and was laid low by Frederich the 

 First of Prussia, on the 18th September, 1696. 



There can be little doubt, I imagine, that this very 

 remarkable head must have been the result of some 

 injury to the growing horn ; but however that may be, 

 there are the sixty-six points, and each one sufficient to 

 hang a powder-flask on, which was the old stalking rule 

 for claiming a point, and though powder-flasks have 

 long been abolished at home, the rule still holds good. 



The effect of a body hurt to a stag is generally very 

 clearly to be seen in his horns: one that has been 

 wounded and survived, or that has injured himself in 

 any way, will rarely have a pair of good horns, and the 

 one on the side nearest the damage will be small, 

 malformed, almost pointless, or often there will be no 

 horn at all. 



As to the fencing of deer forests, if money be plen- 

 tiful, it is undoubtedly a good plan to wire off the deer 

 from the cultivated and low-lying lands adjoining. By 

 so doing they are hindered from straying for miles in 

 search of food and shelter in winter ; the foresters are 

 spared much hard and anxious work in endeavouring to 

 drive them back and seeing that they are not poached ; 

 also, the farmers cannot grumble or claim compensation 



