viii British Deer and their Horns 
for the first time, measured to the same scale, and criticised from an 
absolutely unbiassed point of view. 
Not the least difficult part of this work is to thank all the kind 
friends who have so generously helped me, many having gone out of 
their way to obtain photos, pictures, or information of some particular 
head which they thought might be of use. Especially are my thanks 
due to Mr. Charlie Lucas of Warnham Court, who has done everything 
he could to help me in the study of park deer, and to Sir Edmund 
Loder, who, in addition to his valuable criticism, has given me every 
facility for working in his splendid museum and library. These two 
friends have done much to make part of a somewhat difficult task 
most pleasant, and I fear I can but inadequately express my thanks 
to them here. My sincere thanks are also due to the Duke of West¬ 
minster, the Duke of Portland, the Marquis of Breadalbane, the Earl of 
Ilchester, Lord Castletown, Lord Powerscourt, Sir Elenry Gore Booth, 
Sir George Macpherson Grant, Sir Douglas Brooke, Sir Arthur Grant of 
Monymusk, and Mr. J. E. Harting, who have all helped me considerably 
in my chapters on heads. 
The Duke of Athole, the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, Lord 
Tweedmouth, the Hon. Walter Rothschild, Colonel Gordon-Cumming 
(Forres House), Colonel M‘Inroy, the Hon. G. Lascelles, Mr. J. Grant of 
Glenmoriston, Mr. Ralph Sneyd, Mr. Dan Cooper, Mr. John Hargreaves, 
Mr. E. Hartert, and Mr. Sidney Loder have also given me permission to 
draw from their collections, or have kindly sent me photographs and 
notes. Mr. H. Snowie has shown me all his photographs of good heads 
of the past, and perhaps no one has taken greater trouble in rendering 
me every assistance, extending over several years, than Mr. William 
Macleay of Inverness. 
My father-in-law, Mr. P. G. Skipwith, has most kindly revised the 
first half of this book, but when he got to Chapter V. his emotion over¬ 
came him, and he skipped oil to New Zealand one fine morning to 
spend Christmas with his boys. Anyway, I have felt it bitterly, as I have 
had to do all the rest myself, and I never could read my own handwriting. 
So as to give the stalker true landscapes of Highland forests, and 
some that he may, perchance, recognise as old hunting-grounds, I have, in 
the larger pictures, had the able assistance of Mr. Sidney Steel of Perth. 
