IOI 
Stags’ Heads 
this process of rubbing I believe that very little colouring matter goes on to the horns, or 
how is it we see stags with nearly white ones when the velvet has been off several days ? 
As an illustration of this I would call the reader’s attention to the heads of two big park 
stags figured on p. 102. I shot these in Warnham Park at the beginning of August 1895, 
and had watched them closely every day from the day they had cleaned their heads against 
HEAD OF A BIG STOKE STAG, 1872. (PARK) 
certain boards protecting the thorn trees. They were clean on the same day, and when shot 
seven days later one was still quite white, whilst the other was a dark drab, as will be seen 
in the photo. I have often noticed too that stags that have dark-coloured velvet will, when 
the horns are clean, have dark-coloured horns. This as much as anything will prove the 
weakness of the theory of selected staining matters. 
Observers are apt to lose sight of the fact that the red stag is not by nature a dweller 
in the dark and open moorlands ; he has been forced there by man, and by colouring his 
antlers in the peat he is only following the great universal law amongst all wild creatures, 
