258 STAG-HUNTING 



Though quite as tall as her fellows, she was always 

 known as the little bitch, and was a great favourite 

 with the huntsman, as she was a good tufter, could go 

 the pace, and threw her tongue besides. Curiously, 

 however, she did not care to go up to a deer, and was 

 once seen baying at a calf not much bigger than 

 herself. 



Most hounds would have pulled the calf down, and 

 eaten there and then as much venison as they could ; 

 even a full-grown stag has little chance against the 

 pack ; I have seen one rolled over like a fox in the 

 middle of a grass field ; and another time, when a stag 

 had taken refuge in an outhouse, the doorway of 

 which he nearly filled with his horns, the hounds 

 went boldly up to him and pulled him out by the 

 head and ears. Only a single one was slightly hurt, 

 indeed, it is wonderful how few hounds are injured 

 by the stags ; there are instances of three or four 

 being wounded by one deer, but Mr. Bisset never lost 

 a hound from this cause through all his long master- 

 ship. His successors have not all been so fortunate, 

 but the hounds who are killed on the spot or die of 

 their wounds are very few. The horses of the field 

 cause many more casualties than the horns of the 

 stags. 



Reference has been made to the old idea that 



