T. H. NELSON: A VISIT TO CHILLINGHAM PARK. 23I 



content ourselves with looking at them through the telescope, as the 

 presence of strangers is liable to cause a stampede, during which 

 the Calves might get crushed to death. In addition to the Wild 

 Cattle, the park contains two large herds of Red and Fallow Deer, 

 a heronry in one of the woods, and winged game of several species — 

 Pheasants, Partridges, and Black Game. INIitchie now took us to an 

 enclosure, and showed us an ingeniously contrived trap, where the 

 Cattle are occasionally secured for breeding purposes, being crossed 

 with shorthorns. This trap is about twenty feet in length by ten in 

 width, with a gate at each end ; these are kept open, and the Cattle 



are induced to come through by food being placed in the Park 

 beyond ; after a few days, and when they have become familiarized 

 with this, the keepers conceal themselves in the plantation close by ; 

 an arrangement of ropes is fastened to the spring catches which 

 keep the gates open, and, when the animal wanted is passing 

 through between the gates, one of the keepers pulls the ropes ; the 

 springs release the gates, which are quickly closed, and the beast is 

 fairly caught ; he is then fettered with ropes, and taken into a sort of 

 paddock called 'the hamel.' Mitchie told us that on one occasion a 

 desperate scene occured in connection with the trapping operations : 



Aug. 1S87. 



