THE MANAGEMENT OF DEER FORESTS 109 



recent clearances, stag for hind should be the rule ; 

 but this again must be varied according ta which sex 

 predominates. Thus in what is called a ' stag ' forest 

 three stags to two hinds, or even less, is often found 

 sufficient ; and in a ' hind ' forest, unless severely 

 thinned, stags will be crowded out more and more, 

 and the sport will be poor and disappointing. When 

 a limited or moderate number of hinds have to be 

 killed, those should be selected which are yeld, but 

 if a larger slaughter must take place this is not 

 possible. The necessity of killing hinds with calves 

 at foot is unfortunate, both on account of the poor 

 little calf that can hardly be expected to pull through 

 the winter without the protection of its mother, and 

 also because the venison of a milch hind is of course 

 inferior in quality. This cannot be helped, and it 

 should be remembered that there are throughout 

 the land plenty of poor people with large families to 

 whom even a milch hind would prove a most accep- 

 able present. On no account should a deer of any 

 kind be ever left on the hill. If the tenant of a forest 

 cannot afford the trifling expense of keeping a pony 

 or two to carry away the venison, he ought not to 

 take a forest at all. If he is the owner, he ought to be 

 ashamed of himself. So far as I am aware the 

 practice does not nmv prevail in either quarter. 



