December 1998  - Edition No.57

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this issue and I apologise that as circulation day is the first Thursday in the month, some events in early December will have already taken place by the time you read this.Poems are prevalent in this issue and I hope you will enjoy the varied selection and beautiful illustrations by Debbie, Nigel and Paul.

Items for the February issue should be at the Post Office or Chicane by mid January, Wednesday 13th please, in the meantime, my best wishes for a happy and peaceful Christmas.

Ed.

RED DEER

The red deer, Britain's largest native animal, is common in parks, but in the wild is found mostly in Devon, the New Forest, Cumbria and Scotland. Living normally in dense forests, the red deer has in some areas adapted to moorland and open woodland. Mainly browsing animals, they eat young shoots and leaves of deciduous trees and shrubs, but also eat nuts and fruits. The reddish brown summer coat changes to a thicker brown-grey coat in winter, with a paler underside and a buff-coloured patch around the tail. Except at the autumn rutting [or mating] time, stags live in groups separately from the females. When mature, a stag can reach a shoulder height of about 48 inches with antlers up to 28 inches, with many points, or tines. The female, or hind, bears one calf born in early summer.

Continuing her wild-life series of covers, Debbie has given the red deer frequently seen around here - a seasonal touch for our Christmas cover. Thank you, Debbie.