54 THE FALLOW DEER. 



would soon destroy the fawn, if not prevented by the maternal 

 care of the dam, in concealing the place of its retreat. 



The following historical fact, shows that the stag is capable of 

 an extraordinary degree of courage. Some years ago, a tiger 

 and a stag being enclosed in the same area, the stag, when at- 

 tacked, made so resolute a defence, that his assailant was obliged 

 to desist. During the reigns of our first Norman kings, the pas- 

 sion for hunting the stag was carried to such excess, that it was 

 esteemed as small a crime to murder one of the human species, 

 as to destroy one of these animals. In our island, large tracts 

 of land were converted into forests for deer. Happily for man- 

 kind, these wide-extended scenes of desolation and oppression, 

 have been gradually contracted : agriculture has spread itself 

 over the land ; beasts of chase have given way to the ox and the 

 sheep, and lowing herds and bleating flocks enliven the face of 

 the country, and increase the national wealth. 



THE FALLOW DEER 



Is well known in this country : though it very much resembles 

 the stag, they are a distinct species, and so determined an ani- 

 mosity exists between them, that, although both are gregarious, 

 they will not herd together. The fallow deer is inferior to the 

 stag in size and strength : it is seldom found wild in the forest ; 

 but it constitutes the ornament of the park. Its horns, instead 

 of being round like those of the stag, are broad, palmated at the 

 top, and better furnished with antlers. Dissensions about pastur- 

 age frequently occur among these animals ; and in such cases, 

 the herd divides into two parties, and an obstinate engagement 

 ensues, to determine the possession of some favourite part of the 

 park. Each party has its leader, which is always the oldest and 

 strongest of the herd. They attack in regular order, fight with 

 courage, support one another, retreat, rally, and seldom give up 

 the contest, in consequence of one defeat. The combat is fre- 

 quently renewed several days successively, till, after being re- 

 peatedly vanquished, the weaker party is obliged to leave the 

 conquerors in possession of the disputed territory. The fallow 

 deer goes eight months with young, comes to perfection in three 

 years, and lives about twenty. There are many varieties of the 

 fallow deer. In England, we have two sorts : the spotted, sup- 

 posed to have been brought from Bengal, and the deep brown, 

 originally introduced from Norway into this country, by King 

 James the First. The Spanish fallow deer are as large as stags. 

 There is also a fine breed of this animal in India, which abounds 

 in the immense plains on both sides of the Ganges. It is beau- 

 tifully spotted, and has horns resembling those of the stag : M. 

 Buffon considers it as a middle species, between the fallow deer 



