ON PLAIN AND PEAK 



and damp with the melting snow, the dark winter 

 coat matches exactly with their colour. Truly 

 Nature is bountiful to her children, and uses her best 

 endeavours for their protection ! And men see (or 

 rather do not see) such things every day, and then 

 doubt the existence of a ruling Power ! 



But here are four more roe, trotting out, one 

 after the other, from the shelter of the wood. They 

 must be a family party, these four ; the mother, and 

 her two young ones of this year, and an elder sister 

 perhaps, who has not yet set up housekeeping on 

 her own account. There is another doe further off; 

 and there is another . . . and another ! Nine 

 roe on this patch of clover, but not a buck among 

 them! It is a ladies' evening party, possibly the 

 presence of gentlemen strictly prohibited. How 

 gaily the fawns jump and frisk about, playing with 

 each other ; whilst the staid matrons, sobered by 

 their weight of years and family cares, feed quietly 

 keeping a constant watch, however, for any 

 threatened danger. They are blissfully unconscious 

 of our presence. 



There comes a buck ! Even in the fading light 

 and at this distance for he is a good hundred yards 

 away one can see the shorter face, thicker neck, 

 and more compact build than that of the doe ; 

 and, with the glasses, one can make out his horns 

 distinctly. 



112 



