When the guest of Sir Edmund Loder in September 1900, I was stalking
in the Forest of Glencarron, and witnessed an incident illustrating the jealous
fiature of the Red Stag. The stalker McRae and I were making a big detour
tp come in on a fine nine-pointer which was lying with his hinds on the south
face of Glennig. Everything was going right : we were making the Advaace
down hill, when we perceived a susaft march from
Strath Conan, driving about seventy bind» 1 ^ ’ him.- &£ he came in sight
over a brow about three hundred yards off, m)r- suddenly sprang to his
feet, and, abandoning his hinds, started off at u-»#. gallop straight towards the
new-comer. The latter, deeming discretion the hctfor part of valouf, likewise left
his wives and made off down hill as hard as his legs could carry him. The
bigger Stag gradually overhauled the ten-pointer, and they dashed into the river
at the bottom of the glen almost neck and neck, making the water fly on all
sides. Once on the far bank the lighter Stag had the best of it as he made off
up h ill; and so they galloped right up the opposite hill and out of sight nearly
two miles away to the farther crest, and so on into Strath Conan, We waited
two hours, but neither of the Stags returned, and so we had to make a fresh start
and look for another beast.
If you go into a park or forest for a year and study the Deer you will see
them do things that are well known 10 naturalists for 364 days, but on the 365th