192 THE NATURAL HISTORY [LETT. 



up from a little fawn with a dairy of cows ; with them it goes 

 a-field, and with them it returns to the yard. The dogs of the 

 house take no notice of this deer, being used to her; hut, if 

 strange dogs come by, a chase ensues ; while the master smiles 

 to see his favourite securely leading her pursuers over hedge, 

 or gate, or stile, till she returns to the cows, who, with fierce 

 lowiugs and menacing horns, drive the assailants quite out of 

 the pasture. 



Even great disparity of kind and size does not always prevent 

 social advances and mutual fellowship. For a very intelligent 

 and observant person has assured me that, in the former part of 

 his life, keeping but one horse, he happened also on a time to have 

 but one solitary hen. These two incongruous animals spent 

 much of their time together in a lonely orchard, where they 

 saw no creature but each other. By degrees an apparent regard 

 began to take place between these > two sequestered individuals. 

 The fowl would approach the quadruped with notes of com- 

 placency, rubbing herself gently against his legs : while the 

 horse would look down with satisfaction, and move with the 

 greatest caution and circumspection, lest he should trample on 

 his diminutive companion. Thus by mutual good offices, each 

 seemed to console the vacant hours of the other : so that Milton, 

 when he puts the following sentiment in the mouth of Adam, 

 seems to be somewhat mistaken : 



" Much less can bird with beast, or fish with fowl, 

 So well converse, nor with the ox the ape." 



SELBORNE, Aug. 15, 1775. 



