MAMMALS. 95 



and the boundary "was called the 'Deer's Leap,' because 

 the owners, or keepers, of Ludford had the right to 

 shoot Deer on the space outside the Park Walls, so 



there is no doubt the Deer often got out and in 



A young fawn is occasionally found and taken by the 

 timber-men." Mr. Gray saw one, two years ago, that 

 was bought and reared by one of his masons. The 

 habits of Deer are too familiarly known to need much 

 description. Both sexes remain together throughout the 

 year, and they are naturally gregarious. The antlers 

 of the bucks are shed about May, and they seclude 

 themselves as much as possible till the new ones have 

 grown, and rub them vigorously against trees to remove 

 the velvet. Unless taken away by the keepers, the shed 

 antlers are eaten by the Deer, and both bucks and does 

 share in this strange repast. The shape of the antlers 

 is totally different from that of the last species; they 

 are only rounded at the base, the other end being 

 " palmate," or spread out into a broad flat expanse 

 with points on the hinder edge only. In colour the 

 Fallow Deer varies according to the breed and season. 

 The old (Roman ?) breed is dark-brown in winter, while in 

 summer it is light-red with white spots on the flanks. 

 Another race is of a light yellowish-brown with white 

 spots in summer, while in winter it is very dark-brown 

 with scarcely a trace of the spots. A full-grown buck 

 stands about 3 feet high at the shoulders; the doe is 

 smaller. The fawns are born in June ; usually there is 

 only one, but twins are not uncommon. As venison the 

 flesh of the Fallow Deer is held in higher esteem than 

 that of the Stag or Roebuck. 



