altogether in the owner’s smoking-room, but all are good, and two in particular, one a
very rough head o f p i inches and the splendid n -in ch head (figured). These two are
as fine examples o f Scotch roe as one could see anywhere.
5. Moniack Castle (Mr. J. Cameron).— This is decidedly a good, though small
collection, the heads all having been obtained on the estate by Mr. Cameron’s two
sons. There is one beautiful long pair o f horns o f 10^ inches, and another massive
rough example with good heavy brows shot by Mr. Cameron s youngest boy in 1891*
6. Dupplin Castle (the Earl o f Kinnoull).— On visiting Dupplin in 1895, I expected
to see some really good specimens, for this estate is
practically in the centre of the very best roe country
(for heads) in Scotland ; but out o f the seventy-eight
in the house, there is not a single one which would
even be called first class. In the heads from these
grand woods the disparity o f the two horns and their
bad shape were most apparent, the only item o f
interest being a curious little dropped horn with
three prongs o f equal length.
7. Author's Collection.— I have some fifty-five
heads, most of which I have shot myself in different
parts o f Scotland. The individual shooter, however,
even though he may kill a large number o f roe, has
little chance o f obtaining many good heads in a
lifetime, and perhaps never a first-class one. Luck
has much to do with it, and I have but two o f my
own shooting which I can claim to be first class.
A good roe’s head has always had a great fascination
for me, ever since I killed my first on Craig-
vinean when I was ten years old. During the years
inches; length of
I have been travelling and shooting in the North it has been my
endeavour to get the best examples I could in each different district, as
it is interesting to see the forms in which the very best heads display
themselves under varying conditions o f life. I have therefore now eight
or nine heads which I have bought or acquired by exchange that are
extraordinary. Three o f these normal heads are, without prejudice,
equal to the best Scotch roe that exist. M y collection also includes
a thick head with 10 points which was killed by a poacher near Stanley
in 1886.
O f the three normal heads some may admire one and some another,
for they are as different as they can be, and each perfect in its own
way. The one in the centre o f the illustration is an old head, and
was killed in a wire fence near Perth some fifty years ago. The example on the right
was shot by Mr. J. Corballis in Sawmill Wood, Beaufort, and I obtained it from him.
It is a perfect head and the brows are extraordinary. The late Lord Lovat, who was present