HABIT AND DOMESTICATION. 307 



about equal age and size. In September, after their antlers had 

 become hard, they occasionally saw each other on opposite sides 

 of the fence, when they would make faces at each other, with 

 various threatening demonstrations, showing that both were ready 

 for the fray. I directed the passage to be opened ; and when the 

 one in the East Park came into the North Park he soon met his 

 antagonist, when a terrific battle ensued. The battle was joined 

 by a rush together like rams, their faces bowed down nearly to 

 a level with the ground, when the clash of horns could have been 

 heard at a great distance ; but they did not again fall back to 

 repeat the shock, as is usual with rams, but the battle was con- 

 tinued by pushing, guarding, and attempting to break each other's 

 guard, and goading whenever a chance could be got, which was 

 very rare. It was a trial of strength and endurance, assisted by 

 skill in fencing and activity. The contest lasted for two hours 

 without the animals being once separated, during which they 

 fought over perhaps half an acre of ground. Almost from the 

 beginning, both fought with their mouths open, for they do not 

 protrude the tongue prominently, like the ox, when breathing 

 through the mouth. So evenly matched were they that both 

 were nearly exhausted, when one at last suddenly turned tail to 

 and fled ; his adversary pursued him but a little way. I could 

 not detect a scratch upon either sufficient to scrape off the hair, 

 and the only punishment suffered was fatigue and a conscious- 

 ness of defeat by the vanquished. I may remark that the victor 

 was the intruder from the East Park, where he had lived with 

 perhaps a dozen companions, almost as wild as in a state of na- 

 ture, for it is mostly appropriated to the elk, where visitors are 

 not allowed. There they can be as secluded as they please. It 

 contains sixty-five acres, is broken with several broad ravines, 

 and is covered with a young forest with many dense thickets of 

 shrubs, and is a real paradise for the Virginia Deer whose timid- 

 ity prompts him to seek seclusion. 



The pursuit of the doe by the buck commences before her 

 season has arrived, and hence for two or three weeks she remains 

 as secluded as possible. He follows her track with his nose to 

 the ground, and when started from her bed the race is very 

 spirited ; but she manages to elude the pursuit by mingling with 

 the other deer and again slipping away. No attempt is made by 

 a buck to herd the does, as is the custom of the elk, and but 

 few of these deer are found associating together during the rut- 

 ting season ; but after it is passed they assemble in larger herds 

 than at any other season. 



