254 ^ame of Europe, W. & N. Asia Sc America 



completed and cleaned their new pair by the latter part of February. 

 At this time the bucks are in their hnest and handsomest condition ; 

 but, unlike what obtains among the majority of deer, it is not then that 

 the pairing-season takes place. This is deferred till well on in the 

 summer ; and although in Scotland some of the bucks may be heard 

 calling on the hillsides during June, in the opinion of Mr. Millais the 

 real breeding- season is in August. The fawns, of which there are 

 generally two at a birth, most commonly make their appearance in 

 Scotland some time in June, although a few are dropped during the last 

 week in May. In many parts of the Continent the greater number of 

 births appear to take place during the latter month. 



"Roe," writes Mr. Millais, "shed their winter coats at the beginning 

 of May, but are frequently not in full red till the middle of June. They 

 are tolerably regular in this, but in the shedding of this red coat for 

 the winter one they are most irregular. As a rule the dark thick coat 

 is not fully developed till the middle of October, but I have seen in 

 Perthshire the red coat all off by the beginning of September. In 

 the north, however, they are generally a month later." The fawns 

 exchange their spotted first coats for the dark winter livery of their 

 parents in September, but the " moult " is not completed till October is 

 well advanced. 



In thickly wooded districts roe spend the greater part of their time 

 in covert, only coming forth to graze in the glades, but in many districts 

 of Scotland they are to be found in quite open country. 



