THE SURGEON OF THE DEER FOREST 203 
anywhere. So, when home, we wrote to the sur- 
rounding tenants with a description of the head, 
and to have a look-out, when we would expect 
the head to be sent to us if the stag were found 
dead. But none ever came across him, so we gave 
up hopes and expected he was dead in some hole. 
" The following year the forest was taken by 
a new tenant, and there was no more thought 
about the lost wounded stag till, about the 
beginning of October, what was my surprise to 
see, and very near the same place and corrie, a 
stag with the same kind of head and peculiarly 
formed tops. I mentioned to the gentleman our 
experience last season with one very like this stag 
in the same corrie, but I remember our remark 
was that it was more likely one of the same breed, 
so lost no time in spying, as everything was 
favourable for a successful stalk. We got to a 
nice distance, and shot him dead. When I went 
down to examine him I was surprised to find that 
he had no brow-points, and instead of being a 
ten - pointer he was only an eight - pointer. I 
could not see anything like last year's wound at 
the time, but next morning, when I went to the 
larder where he was hanging skinned, I noticed at 
once his right leg showing exactly where our last 
