FALLOW DEER. 87 



other purposes : their horns are used for the handles of 

 knives, and from them is made the well-known volatile 

 salt, called hartshorn. 



The height of the Red Deer is betwixt three and four 

 feet. The horns are much branched ; and are not, in 

 any part, flat, but rounded through their whole length. 

 The upper parts of the body are of a reddish-brown 

 colour, and the under parts whitish. Of these animals, 

 the male is called Stag or Hart; the female Hind; and 

 the young one Fawn. 



Fallow Deer. The ornamental inhabitant of almost 

 all the large parks and noble domains in the kingdom, 

 the Fallow Deer associate together, usually in immense 

 herds. They feed on almost every species of vegetable, 

 and are sometimes extremely detrimental to young 

 timber, by gnawing the bark, in such manner as to pre- 

 vent its further growth. The Does, about the month of 

 June, produce one, two, and occasionally three young 

 ones, in some retired place, among fern, or other cover. 

 The duration of life of these animals is generally con- 

 sidered to be about twenty years. The flesh of the 

 Fallow Deer is well known to all epicures, for its 

 peculiarly excellent flavour. That of the buck, or male, 

 is reckoned in best season from the beginning of July 

 until about the middle of September; and that of the 

 doe, or female, from about the middle of November to the 

 middle of February. 



In size these animals are considerably less than the 

 red deer. The horns are flatted, in some parts to the 

 breadth of several inches. An antler rises from the 

 base of each horn, and another at some distance above. 

 In most other respects they have a great resemblance to 

 the red deer. Their colour is generally brownish-bay, 



