MAMMALS. 



187 



Order UNGULATA. 

 Sub-order ARTIODACTYLA. 

 Family CERVIDiE. 



Cervus dama, L. Fallow Deer. 



Fallow Deer occur all through the woods along the north side of the 

 Dornoch Firth, from Dornoch to Rosehall. They were introduced 

 to Skibo somewhere about 1840, and to Rosehall in 1876. Far- 

 ther south they are found at Brahan, Loch Luichart, and Balma- 

 caan, and we have seen some good heads from the latter place. 

 At Loch Luichart many young ones died in the winter of 1891-92 

 in consequence of the long and severe storms. 



The earliest record of the Gordon Castle herd which we can 

 find is contained in the O.S.A. 



We had an opportunity of seeing the Fallow Deer in Gordon 

 Castle park in August 1893, and counted about 140 to 150 head. 

 The park itself appears to be of small extent, and we were in- 

 formed only a small portion of the surrounding woods — pine woods 

 — is added to it. 



AVe would like to have been able to give a more detailed account 

 of the whole history of this herd of Fallow Deer, which history 

 we have little doubt exists in the charter-rooms of the Castle, 

 because it seems to us extremely probable that it was amongst 

 the first herds established in the North of Scotland, or along the 

 margins of the Moray Firth, and the one which, from time to 

 time, has sent off branches to other parts of the country which are 

 contained within our present area. Perhaps before finally going to 

 press our wish in this matter may yet be fulfilled, but hitherto 

 any inquiries we have made have been in vain. 



Mr. Robert Carruthers in his Note Book (second edition, 1887), 

 referring to the date of 1843, being that of his first edition, tells 

 us: — 'The deer-park at Gordon Castle contains 135 fallow-deer, 

 37 very large red-deer, and 4 roe-deer. In the forest, outside 

 the park, there are some hundreds of the large red-deer, and a 

 great number of roes.' 



