The Deer Tribe 



279 



them. In the five years ending in 1892, 276 deer wore killed by the Devon and Somerset 

 hounds. 



The young of the red deer are in Europe usually dropped in Juno. The fawn is dexterously 

 concealed by the hind amid the heather, and is left in eoncoalment during the day. Serope, 

 a great authority on these animals, states that the hind induces her fawn to lie down by 

 pressure of the nose : '■ It will never stir or lift up its head the wliole of the day, unless you 

 come right upon it, as I have often done ; it lies like a dog, with its nose to its tail. The 

 hind, however, although she often separates herself from the young fawn, does not lose sight of 

 its welfare, but remains at a distance to windward, and goes to its succour in case of an attack 

 of the wild cat or fox, or any other powerful vermin." 



On the Continent far finer examjjles of red deer are to be found than in the British Isles, 

 and the antlers and records of weights preserved at the Castle of ]\Ioritzburg in Saxony, and 

 elsewhere, show that two hundred years ago the stags of Germany were far superior even to 

 those of the present day, which are much hea\'ier and afford finer trophies than do the 

 Highland red deer. Even in Germany, however, marked deterioration has taken pilaee during 

 the last two centuries. A stag, for example, killed by the P'lector of Saxony in 164G weighed 

 not less than 61 stone 11 lbs.; while from the Electors records between 1611 and 16.56 it 

 appears that 59 stags exceeded 56 stone, 651 exceeded 48 stone, 2,679 exceeded 40 stone, 

 and 4,139 exceeded 32 stone. These figures are given by Mr. W. A. Baillie-Grohman, a 

 distinguished sportsman, in a very interesting chapter contributed to the " Big Game Shooting " 

 volumes of the Badminton Library. 



This deterioration among the red deer of the forests of Central and Northern Europe is, 

 however, not traceable among the red deer of the wild mountainous regions of Austria-Hungary 



^'9 





AMEKICAN WAPITI. 

 In the UDJted States this sjiecies is universally miscalled the Elk. 



