It is hardly necessary to describe the typical park falloW:: deer s head beyond saying that
the,constant tines are brow, tray, and a third tine at the back, above which, on the posterior
margin o f the palm, are a number o f small points, which culminate in a long point bending
forward, and generally situated second or third from the front tine, which itself curves down-
ward and inward.
It is a curious fact that although it is so common to see in parks perfectly formed red-
deer heads o f twelve or fourteen points, a really good fallow buck’s head that is perfectly
formed, well grown, and typical is now quite a rarity. There are very few parks where the
heads are really good, because few people take sufficient interest in their deer to prevent badheaded
bucks taking the rut, or study their other requirements. W e see plenty o f deer
whose actual weight o f horn-growth is quite sufficient to be spread out in well-shaped heads,
but in forty-nine cases out o f fifty the points along the posterior margin are only just
indicated on the edge, or put forth in such blunt ungraceful knobs that they entirely destroy
the artistic grace o f the whole. Nine men out o f ten have probably never seen a really good
buck’s head, and become accustomed to the inferior article. Were you to speak to them
about the points on a fallow deer’s horns they would only laugh and say that knobs and
excrescences did not count for points, and clubs o f horn with the ends worn and knocked about
were scarcely things o f beauty. This is, o f course, all very true, but then again there are
heads finely shaped, rough, and having all the points properly developed in their proper order
i f you only know where to look for them. Then again, taste itself takes extraordinary forms.
Many do not care for heads o f animals with palmated horns, whilst a friend o f mine, and a