DEER IN SUMMER. 63 



presently under the stag, and watched him 

 from behind a tree ; he was so near that 

 his slightest motion was visible. 



He stood breast-deep in brake, and there 

 was a purple foxglove in flower just beside 

 him. There seemed the least possible fleck 

 of white among the golden russet of his 

 side. After I had looked long enough, a 

 shout sent him with one bound into the 

 thicket ; and although the boughs did not 

 appear very close together, he was immedi- 

 ately hidden. He moved easily along the 

 steep slope where even hounds sometimes 

 find a difficulty in following. 



Some distance further I found another 

 foot-bridge made of a smoothed tree, and sat 

 down upon it at the verge of the brook. 

 Insects had emerged from the timber, leav- 

 ing their cases stretching forth from the 

 mouths of their drilled holes. The timber 

 was furrowed and gouged by the mandibles 



