RED DEER, or STAG, the common deer (Cervus elephas) of Europe and western Asia, which is typical of the family, and the ordinary (deer)) of literature and poetry as well as of the chase. It much resembles the American wapiti, but is smaller and rather darker in general color. A fine specimen will stand four feet tall at the fore-shoulder and will weigh about 300 pounds, but exceptional ones have weighed much more. Even larger are those of the Asiatic border and Asia Minor. The antlers of Scotch and Irish stags rarely exceed 33 inches in length; but those of eastern Europe and Siberia are far longer. Several different names have been given to the related deer of northern Asia but they seem to be essentially the same as those of Europe, where they sur vive sparsely and under legal protection in al most all the countries. In the British islands the wild red deer remains only in the Highlands of Scotland, but protected moors on many large estates and moors in both England and Ireland. The species is supposed to have been originally introduced into England from France, where it became very numerous, but since the 17th century it has been killed off in most parts of that kingdom to make way for the fallow deer, the venison of which is far superior, and the animal itself of a more man ageable and placid disposition.
The stag has a fine eye, an acute sense of smell and a good ear. When listening, he raises his head and erects his ears. When going into a coppice or other half-covered place, he stops to look round him on all sides, and scents the wind, to discover if any object be near that might disturb him. Though a simple, he is a curious and crafty animal. When hissed or called to from a distance, he stops short, and looks steadfastly, and, with a kind of admira tion, at horses or men; and if the latter have neither arms nor dogs he moves on without betraying any symptoms of alarm. He eats slowly; and after his stomach is full, he lies down and ruminates at leisure.
In winter and spring this animal rarely ever drinks, the dews and tender herbage being suffi cient to satisfy his thirst ; but during the parch ing heats of summer, he not only frequents the brooks and springs, but searches for deep water wherein to bathe and refresh himself. He
swims with great ease and strength, particularly when he is in good condition, his fat contribut ing to his buoyancy. His voice is stronger, louder and more tremulous in proportion as he advances in age; and during the rutting season it is really fearful. The cry of the hind, or female, is not so loud as that of the male. The pairing season is in August; the time of gestation is between eight and nine months; and she seldom produces more than one at a time. The usual season of parturition is about May and at that season the hinds are very cunning in concealing and tending, and exceed ingly courageous in defending their young, which are exposed to many enemies. The ((calf)) (as the fawn is called by gamekeepers) never quits the dam during the whole summer; and in winter, the hind, together with all the males under a year old, assemble in herds, which are more or less numerous in proportion to the mildness or severity of the season. At the approach of spring they separate, none but those of the age of one year remaining asso ciated. Stag-hunting, as carried on in the Highlands, is a sport capable of rousing all the manly ardor and energy of youth and manhood. The beauty, graceful and magnificient bearing of the animal, his sagacity in evading the strat agems of the hunter, or deer stalker, and his courage when at bay, add greatly to the pleas ure of the chase. When the stag stands at bay, his effort is to do so in a river or lake, where he has a great advantage over the dogs, for he firmly stands and holds his position, whilst they swim powerless around him. On land, even, a stag at bay has great advantage over the hounds, who exhaust themselves with their clamor, while he is in a comparative state of rest, and recovers his wind. In stalking deer, the animal is generally shot; but if he is only wounded, and has power to fly, then the dogs are slipped to the pursuit. But, in olden times, the chief reliance for pulling and killing the deer was in the dogs; and the fleetness and courage of their hounds were the pride of nobles and kings.