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purpose we applied to Mr B. Porter, of Thames Ditton, whose
experience in the capture and transport of park deer is well known,
and he at once undertook to supply what was needed. The cart
and the nets were despatched to Blandford, and on Feb. 13 I
repaired to the scene of action. I may here remark that the time
of year selected was chosen advisedly. For obvious reasons it
was desirable to wait for the close of the shooting season, and we
were anxious at the same time to increase the chances of securing
some does in fawn. The afternoon of the first day was spent in
riding over the ground, noting the position of the coverts, and
making plans for the morrow. The next morning we were up
betimes, and, after a drive of some miles to Bully Wood, arrived at
the meet, to find the keepers and beaters, about thirty in number,
already assembled. A number of poles were cut, six feet in
length, and forked at the top, like clothes-props. These were
driven into the ground at intervals, and the nets, of which we had
two hundred yards, were supported on the forks, the lower side
being allowed to trail on the ground in the direction of the covert
to be driven. No dogs of any kind were used. The beaters
merely made a detour, got well away from the nets before entering
the wood, and then advanced steadily in line. We posted ourselves
near the end of the net, so as to be able to run up and assist in
holding any deer that might charge it and become entangled. We
had not long to wait; the tapping of the beaters sounded nearer
and nearer, and soon the cry was heard, " Deer for'ard." In a few
seconds a doe with a last year's fawn broke covert just below the
nets, and got away ; while a brace of bucks broke on the right, and,
in spite of all the efforts of the " stops" to turn them, raced away
over the down for Houghton Wood. Almost at the same moment a
fine doe, being pressed forward by the beaters, came right into the
net, and was rolled up like a rabbit. We soon had her by the hind
legs, and, carrying her as carefully as we could, drew the sliding
door of the deer van, and pushed her gently in. In the semi-dark-
ness of the van, shut away from the sight of her pursuers, and
comfortably littered down with old hay, she soon became quiet,
and we anticipated little risk of injury so long, at least, as the
van was at rest.
Moving on to the next beat, we drew Park Wood, and in three
drives secured a buck and three does, two of the does being taken
together, as side by side they dashed headlong into the net. For-
tunately the weather was most favourable—a fine balmy spring
day, with a light wind—and the ground dry, a most important
thing in our favour; for, had the coverts been wet, the labour of
shifting the nets would have been considerably increased. As it
was, each net, when gathered up into a long sack like a hop pocket,
required four men to transport it. Had it been wet, its weight
would have been doubled. Park Wood hangs against the side of a
hill, below it a deep coombe, and on the opposite side a treeless
down, with here and there a rugged mass of flint cropping up through
the smooth short turf. As we gazed upon the wood across the
valley, it seemed to hang like a picture against the down. We
could see the beaters enter on the left and move steadily towards
the top right hand corner where we knew the nets were placed. At
intervals, the leaves being off, we could catch a glimpse of the
startled Roes as they moved furtively amongst the hazels ; now
dashing onward like hares, now pausing to look back and listen,
with their large brown ears thrown forward in sharp profile against
the silvery bark of the ash. It was a sight to gladden the eyes of