64 
NATURE NOTES 
As the deer lay by the river side I distinctly saw raw places 
about its body, particularly the hinder parts, where the skin had 
been torn away. Its head and ears also bore marks of injury.’ 
The second witness, Frederick Cummings, also of Reading, 
swears that he held the deer’s mouth open while ‘ liquor from a 
flask was poured down its throat,’ and bears out Pursey’s state- 
ments as to the raw places on the animal’s body. The affidavit 
continues: — ‘Together with several other men I helped to lift 
the deer across a meadow to Mr. Colebrook’s farm premises, 
and to put it into the deer-cart. The animal up to this point 
was unable to walk of itself.’ On this we have a word to say. 
References have been made to the Queen’s opinion in the matter. 
Now we may say from personal knowledge that the Queen, 
whose love for animals is conspicuous, has for many years been 
opposed to the practice of stag-hunting. There is no doubt, 
however, that her Majesty regards herself as being in the hands 
of her Ministers, and we imagine that she would not propose 
to take any action in a matter which involves a more or less 
political appointment. The question is one solely for the Prime 
Minister of the day, Liberal or Conservative. If he will put 
down the stag-hunt he will know that he does so in complete 
harmony with the Queen’s wishes. If he does not do so, he is 
simply yielding to the desire of this person or that to retain a 
post continually associated with odious barbarities.” 
CHURCHYARD-BOTTOM WOOD, HIGHGATE. 
E SJ IX years have passed since the present writer first called 
the attention of the readers of Nature Notes to 
gjflj Churchyard-Bottom Wood, at Highgate. There could 
' be no question that at that time it was unknown to a 
large number of Londoners, including not a few living in the 
comparative neighbourhood. A few words of description were 
a necessity then, but by this time, considering all that has been 
said about this unique piece of woodland in the daily press, 
any further words of praise on my part would be superfluous. 
I content myself with saying that the view from the dip in 
Muswell Hill Road, below Southwood Hall, is absolutely the 
most striking in the north of London, whether in winter or 
summer. 
It was only within the last year or two that the danger of 
destruction of the wood, long possible, became imminent. Here 
in the south of England one cause of ruin to natural scenery, 
namely, mining and manufacturing industries, is, most fortu- 
nately, in a very large degree wanting. But in its place 
throughout the whole metropolitan area the building trade is 
pursued with a surpassing avidity. Having had no check from 
