NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 177 



reputation, cleared up the mystery in a work entitled, " Ent\vick- 

 lungs-geschiclite des Relies." He clearly proved that the rutting 

 time, or breeding season, is in July; but instead of the ovum or 

 germ rapidly developing, as in other animals, it remains dormant, 

 and of very minute size, until the middle of December, when it 

 suddenly quickens, and is developed with the usual rapidity, the 

 whole period of gestation being forty weeks. The Roedeer is not 

 so strictly monogamous as is usually described, more than one 

 buck often disputing for the favours of the doe^ 



Either one or two fawns are born in May, and, if undisturbed, 

 they remain with their parents until autumn, or even until next 

 spring. The first indication of horns are two rounded knobs, 

 which are succeeded by straight, single points. Next spring these 

 give place to forked antlers, which in turn are succeeded hj others 

 bearing three points each; but these changes are not always 

 regularly gone through. Six tines are the usual maximum, but 

 there are roe heads, in some of the German collections, with ten 

 and even twelve branches. Often the horns are strangely deformed 

 (of which a fine example from Dr Dewar's collection was exhibited, 

 as well as drawings of many others). These abnormalities may, 

 perhaps, be divided into four classes — 1st, stunted growths, caused 

 by insufficient food, and also found in old and decrepit bucks; 

 2d, those caused by an injury to the horn while in a soft state; 

 3d, the effects of injuries or diseases of the generative organs; 

 and, 4th, genuine deformities, perhaps owing to "breeding 

 in-and-m," or to a constitutional defect in the animal. 



The roe usually conceals itself by day, feeding in the morning 

 and evening on various kinds of herbage. Mr Alston has 

 found quantities of fungi of various kinds in their stomachs. Its 

 speed is not very great, but its leaps are often wonderful and 

 beautiful. It is also a bold s-wimmer, and in Loch Lomond passes 

 freely from isle to isle. Its voice is a short, harsh bleat, almost 

 resembling a bark. In a state of nature, it never attacks man, 

 even when wounded, but tame ones are dangerous pets. 



The roe is generally distributed throughout central Europe, and 

 is very common in the forests of France and Germany; in Switzer- 

 land, however, it is almost extinct, as also in most parts of 

 Scandinavia. In this country it was confined to the Scotch 

 Highlands when Pennant wrote, but now, owing doubtless to 

 strict preservation, and the increase of plantations, it is not 



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