76 EPPING FOREST.
and, after a great run, was killed at West Ham ; and
so ended the chase of the wild red-deer in Epping
Forest. For years afterwards, at the festive gatherings
at the Horse and Groom, a handsome silver cup used
to be handed round, with the inscription—' From Long
Wellesley abroad to Tommy Rounding at home!'
The staghounds came to an end in 1797, and early in
the century the red-deer were suffered, from the in-
difference of the authorities, to diminish; and the re-
mainder of the herd were finally caught some twenty
years later, and transported to Windsor. I am happy
to say that Her Majesty the Queen has recently been
graciously pleased to restore some of their descendants
to their ancient haunts for the delight of her subjects,
and the glades may again echo the autumn challenge
of a royal stag.
Roe-Deer. These beautiful little animals—the smallest of
the deer tribe of Great Britain—roamed throughout the
forest regions of Great Britain in primeval times, and
doubtless Epping Forest formed no exception. Until
quite recently, although they are very numerous in the
dense woods of Scotland, they only existed in a wild
state in one district in England—the wooded combes in
the neighbourhood of the Vale of Blackmoor, in Dorset-
shire, whither they were imported about eighty years
ago. I had in February last the satisfaction of reintro-
ducing them to Epping Forest. Long convinced of the
suitability of the Forest to their needs, I had at length the
good fortitne to secure the co-operation of Mr. Mansell
Pleydell and Mr. C. Hambro, two Dorsetshire proprietors,
in whose woods the roe are common, and who by every
means in their power forwarded the experiment which I
desired to carry out. Its success was also largely due to
Mr. J. E. Harting, who took a naturalist's interest in the
venture, and who not only superintended the capture,
but accompanied them in their long journey through the
night to Loughton. The capture was effected by long
nets stretched across the wood, the deer being driven
towards them by beaters and secured when entangled in
the meshes, and carefully placed in a covered deer-van.
In this way eight were taken, but two being destined for
the Zoological Gardens, only six, two bucks and four
does, were enlarged in their new home. Owing to the
careful provisions which were made by Mr. Porter, an
experienced deer-catcher, no hitch occurred, and when
the door of the van was opened the next morning in the
thickest part of the Forest, each one bounded out sound