THE STAG. 201

the stag a remarkable illustration will be found on page 127.
Many years ago the Duke of Cumberland thought to make
trial of a stag’s courage by placing him in an enclosure with
an ounce, or hunting tiger, on Newmarket Heath. The
enclosure was made by a net-work of about fifteen feet high,
and the contest took place in the presence of some thousands
of spectators. On seeing the stag, the ounce crouched down
and prepared to spring, but the stag kept such a steady
front that the ounce, turn as he would, was out-manceuvred
by the stag and could not get a chance of tuming his flank.
After a long time the ounce was goaded to the attack by the
order of the Duke, whereupon it leapt, not upon the stag
but over the enclosure and among the people, immediately
crossing the road and entering the wood opposite, where it
fastened upon the haunches of a fallow deer.
The Tame Stags have been tamed and brought largely
Steg. under control but they are said to be uncertain
in their temper, probably from their timidity. Many years
ago Lord Oxford trained four red deer stags to draw a
phaeton, and Captain Brown tells an amusing story of an
adventure which befell him while driving his unique team in
the neighbourhood of Newmarket. It happened that as they
were proceeding on the road to Newmarket they heard the
cry of a pack of hounds and immediately the four stags
made off at the top of their speed, followed by the hounds
who had sighted them or scented them from a distance.
The animals were quite beyond control, but on reaching
Newmarket, they ran into the yard of the Ram Inn where
Lord Oxford had been accustomed to take them, and they
were safely housed in a barn when the pack of hounds
came up. Stags have also been trained to play tricks of
various kinds. A tame stag at one time marched with a
Newfoundland dog, with the band of the 42nd Highlanders.
The Reindeer. The Reindeer belongs to the north of Europe
Asia and America, where he is the chief source of comfort