BOOK NOTICE. 



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than four points (Caber Slat, or rod-heads), while others may have 

 eight or ten at two or three years of age, and this number may or 

 may not increase with each year till the Stag has reached his prime. 

 Heads of eighteen or even twenty points have been obtained in 

 Scotland ; but in Germany and Austria, where the feeding is far 



better, Deer have been obtained with heads of forty, or even more, 

 points. There is an old head of a Stag shown in the magnificent 

 collection at the Castle of Moritzburg, near Dresden, which carries 

 sixty-six tines. 



With regard to the weight of a full-grown Stag, they range from 

 15 stones to 20 stones. One mentioned by Lord Lovat, a notable 

 beast, was shot in 1876, by Colonel the Hon. Alastair Fraser, of the 

 great weight, quite clean, of 30 stones 2 lbs. His haunches weighed 

 73 lbs. and 75 lbs. Mr. Scrope also mentions several exceeding 

 30 stones. 



The 20th of September is called in Gaelic 'the day of the Roaring,' 

 for it is on that day the rutting season is supposed to commence. 

 Sometimes it begins before, and sometimes after, but in average 

 years the proverb seems to hold good. 



Stags will often travel great distances for healthy actually for sea- 

 bathing. There are several places on the coast, one in Aberdeen- 

 shire, forty miles from the nearest forest, where Stags are annually 

 killed in winter and spring. They come to bathe in the sea, as seen 

 by their tracks, bathe two or three nights, and go home again. 



Jan. 1887. 



