38 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



These Martindale deer appear to have had no change of blood 

 until thirteen or fourteen years ago, when one stag calf and five 

 hinds were procured " from a well-known forest on the Scottish 

 mainland," which soon mingled freely with the English hinds. 

 "In a forest like Martindale, where there is no other wood than 

 stunted hazel or wind-twisted thorns and alder, the deer are forced 

 to subsist throughout the year on an admixture of short sweet 

 grass and strong wiry bents, besides heather where they can get 

 it. When Martindale was cropped with extensive fields of oats, 

 the deer used to break bounds, and often inflicted considerable 

 injury on the ripening grain before it was carried. At the present 

 time the stags roam in winter in search of fields of turnips, 

 repeating their incursions night after night, in spite of careful 

 watching." But we cannot give more extracts, and must cease 

 our peaceful contemplation of the animal and proceed to "Deer- 

 stalking" under the guidance of Cameron of Lochiel. 



Here the scene is changed to the Highlands of Scotland, and 

 though sport is now the main topic there is still much to interest 

 the zoologist. We seem always born too late to have known 

 nature at her best. The name of deer-forest is almost as mis- 

 leading as that of a Boer farm. Yet at the same time the first 

 is at least a survival, and " seems to confirm the opinion, if con- 

 firmation be necessary, that vast regions of the Highlands were 

 in former times covered with indigenous forests of the various 

 species of trees, whose descendants, in sadly diminished numbers, 

 are found at the present day scattered among the valleys and 

 on the hill-sides of most of our northern counties." The 

 owners have altered as well as the forests. There was a time, 

 as our author informs us, when a nobleman was not expected 

 to so far derogate from his position as to go into the forest and 

 shoot deer himself when a forester was kept for that purpose. 

 Now a successful millionaire considers he puts the seal on his 

 social position by purchasing his right to do so. We are there- 

 fore not surprised to learn that at the present day it is calculated 

 that about 4000 stags are killed annually. But the rifle is not 

 the only enemy of the deer. " Spring is the ticklish time of year 

 for all animals in the Highlands. If deer are very much reduced 

 during the winter, they are bound to suffer when the grass begins 

 to grow. If they are in good order they proceed to lay on flesh 



