ON GENERATION. 475 



they produce in the ninth month after they have taken the 

 buck. 



At the rutting season the bucks herd with the does ; at 

 other times they keep severally apart, the males, particularly 

 the older ones, associating together, and the females and 

 younger males trooping and feeding in company. The rutting 

 season lasts for a whole month, and it begins later if the wea- 

 ther have been dry, earlier if it have been wet. In Spain, as 

 I am informed, the deer are hardly in rut before the begin- 

 ning of October, wet weather not usually setting in there until 

 this time ; but with us the rutting season rarely continues be- 

 yond the middle of October. 



At this time deer are rendered savage by desire, so that 

 they will attack both dogs and men, although at other seasons 

 they are so timid and peaceable, and immediately betake them- 

 selves to flight on the barking of even the smallest dog. 



Every male knows all his own females, nor will he suffer 

 any one of them to wander from his herd : with a run he speedily 

 drives back any straggler ; he walks jealously from time to 

 time among his wives; looks circumspectly about him, and 

 the careful guardian of his own, he shows himself the watchful 

 sentinel. If a strange doe commit any offence, he does not 

 pursue her very eagerly, but rather suffers her to get away ; 

 but if another buck approach he instantly runs to meet him, 

 and gives him battle with his antlers. 



The hind and doe are held among the number of the 

 chaster animals ; they suffer the addresses of the male reluct- 

 antly, who, like the bull, mounts with violence, and unless 

 forced or tired out, they resist him ; which disinclination of 

 the females appears also to be the reason of their herding 

 together, and confining themselves to their own males, who 

 are always the older and better armed ; for when any strange 

 male approaches them they immediately take to flight, and 

 seek refuge in their own herd, and protection to their chastity, 

 as it seems, from their proper husband. 



If a younger male finds a female straying alone, he imme- 

 diately pursues her, and when she is worn out and unable to 

 fly farther he mounts and forces her to his pleasure. 



The males all provide themselves what are called rutting 

 places ; that is to say, they dig a trench, or they take their 



