566 THE FALLOW DEER. 



lady by an infuriated Stag is of recent occurrence, and may serve as a warning to persons who 

 are ignorant of the strange fury that makes annual seizure of the animal's nature. 



In the attack the Stag uses his fore-feet with as much force as the horns, and often with 

 terrible effect, inasmuch as his opponent is seldom prepared for such a mode of action. The 

 hard, pointed, sharp-edged hoofs of the creature become most formidable weapons in this 

 mode of fighting,, and are urged with such force and velocity that the coming blow can hardly 

 be avoided. I once narrowly escaped an unexpected blow from a Stag's hoof. I had been 

 feeding the animal with tufts of grass, and was stroking his neck and shoulders, when he 

 suddenly reared up, and struck two blows with his fore-feet with such rapidity that although 

 I was aware of his intention, and sprang backwards, the second stroke just reached one finger, 

 and disabled it for some days. 



The great speed of the Stag is proverbial, and needs no mention. It is an admirable 

 swimmer, having been known to swim for a distance of six or seven miles, and in one instance 

 a Stag landed in the night upon a beach which he could not have reached without having 

 swum for a distance of ten miles. The gallant beast was discovered by some dogs as he 

 landed, and being chased by them immediately after his fatiguing aquatic exploit, was over- 

 come by exhaustion, and found dead on the following morning. 



The color of the Stag varies slightly according to the time of year. In the summer the 

 coat is a warm, reddish-brown, but in winter the ruddy hue becomes gray. The hind quarters 

 are paler than the rest of the fur. The young Red Deer are born about April, and are remark- 

 able for the variegated appearance of their fur, which is mottled with white upon the back 

 and sides. As the little creatures increase in dimensions, the white marking gradually fades, 

 and the fur assumes the uniform reddish-brown of the adult animal. For a short time after 

 its birth the young Deer is helpless, and unable to escape even from a human pursuer, but 

 it seems, nevertheless, to be possessed of much curious instinct, and to obey the mandates of 

 its mother with instantaneous readiness. Mr. St. John mentions that he once saw a very 

 young Red Deer, not more than an hour of age, standing by its mother and receiving her 

 caresses. As soon as the watchful parent caught sight of the stranger, she raised her fore-foot 

 and administered a gentle tap to her oifspring, which immediately laid itself flat upon the 

 ground, and crouched closely to the earth, as if endeavoring to delude the supposed enemy 

 into an idea that it was nothing more than a block of stone. 



THE FALLOW DEER may readily be distinguished from the stag, by the spotted coat, the 

 smaller size, and the spreading, palmated horns. 



It is never found in a truly wild state like the stag, but is largely kept in parks, and adds 

 much to the beauty of the scene. There is hardly a more interesting sight than a herd of these 

 graceful and active creatures, either lying calmly under the shadow of a broad clump of trees, 

 or tripping along the sward under the guidance of their leaders, the old and sober proceeding 

 at their peculiarly elastic trot, and the young fawn exerting all kinds of fantastic gambols by 

 way of expressing the exuberance of youthful spirits. There is always one "master" Deer 

 among them, who often couches alone in solitary state, apart from the rest of the herd, and 

 only accompanied by a few chosen does whom he honors with his lordly preference. 



In his absence, the herd is commanded and guided by the younger and less formidable 

 bucks, but whenever he chooses to make his appearance among his subjects, his advent is 

 always heralded by a general movement among the herd, the young bucks moving silently 

 aside and making room for their monarch. Sometimes a more determined male will protest 

 against such inglorious conduct, and will retain his post at the head of the herd. A threaten- 

 ing movement of the head is, however, generally sufficient to make him move slowly away 

 from the place of honor, and in extreme cases, the offender against royal dignity is dis- 

 dainfully swept aside by a blow from the horns of the master Deer. Not until he begins 

 to fail in strength will the subordinate males venture to cross horns with one who has 

 fought his way to the post which he holds, and whose prowess is too practically known to be 

 questioned. 



The color of the Fallow Deer is generally of a reddish-brown, spotted with white, and 



