EVEN-TOED UNGULATES (aRTIODACTYLa) 233 



"There are few more delightful animals to study 

 than the common I'oe when we look for them with 

 the eyes of the naturalist among the young planta- 

 tions in spring, when all life and nature are 

 awakening from their long sleep. In summer, too, 

 they show themselves more than at other seasons. 

 You must be out early and late to enjoy their society 

 as a rule, but with the coming of the lush grass and 

 the growth of plant life all mammals seem to put 

 aside their fears and come into open ground at all 

 hours. You may sit watching a likely hillside, when 

 a shaking bramble shows you the head of a roe 

 nibbling the tender shoots. Slowly he stretches 

 forth his graceful limbs across the bush tangle and 

 comes into view, while the sun plays on his brilliant 

 coat and o-listeninij horns. He licks his leo-s 

 stamps and shakes his head to brush away the flies, 

 stretches himself with arched back, and drops half 

 hidden under the lee of some peat hag. For two hours 

 he scarcely moves, but sits dozing and ruminating in 

 peaceful content. At times he dozes all da}' in a 

 cornfield, or among rushes, but as night comes on 

 he becomes bolder and canters out into the open 

 glades, where he can chase his wife or spar with 

 some young buck. At this season, if a man passes 

 along a road or forest path he simply stands quite 

 still and relies on his own invisibility in the dappling 

 shadows for protection. If some strange sound is 

 heard, or enemy seen for a moment and then lost 

 sight of, he will stand and stamp and bark at inter- 

 vals. It takes a long time to allay his suspicions. 

 In June and July the parasitic flies make their 



