528 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



had become extremely rare : ' I am told, however,' he added, 

 ' that within the memory of persons now living, he has been 

 met with at Smithy Hill, and at Town-head in Cartmell-fell ; 

 and a friend informs me there are still a few to be found at 

 Humprey Head near Allithwaite.' 1 Major Parkin kindly 

 showed me the skull of a Badger which was found drowned 

 in Ulles water a few years since. It was conjectured to have 

 perished in attempting to cross the lake, and its remains were 

 washed up on the shores of Westmorland. 



Order UN GU LATA. Fam. GERVIDJE. 



RED DEER 



Gervus elaphus, L. 



'"? auld Squire Hasell" entertained his friends at Dale Head' (p. 62). 



This refers to the ruined portion of the present farmhouse at 

 Dale Head. Wordsworth has left a description of it : ' At the 

 last house in the dale we were greeted by the master, who was 

 seated at his door. . . . He invited us to enter and view a 

 room built by Mr. Hasell for the accommodation of his friends 

 at the annual chace [sic] of red deer in his forests at the head 

 of these dales. The room is fitted up in the sportsman's style, 

 with a cupboard for bottles and glasses, with strong chairs and 

 a dining table ; and ornamented with the horns of the stags 

 caught at these hunts for a succession of years — the length of 

 the last race each had being recorded under his spreading 

 antlers.' 2 Similarly, the late Mr. Braithwaite visited ' Dale 

 Head or Stag Hall, the property of Squire Hasell of Dalemain,' 

 in September 1853. 'Here,' he says, 'we inspected the large 

 banqueting room, hung' round with the heads of stags killed in 

 the chace, on the adjoining hills.' 3 



1 TJiey die either from old age or from gradual inanition, due to a 

 deficiency of food during the early spring months' (p. 64). 



These words received a faithful illustration in the fate of a 

 young Red Deer Hind, found dying up in Bannerdale, April 5, 



1 Letters, Papers, and Journals, p. 55. 



2 Description of the Scenery of the Lakes, p. 123. 



3 SalmonidcB of Westmorland, p. 165. 





