THE RED DEER. 329 



various trees. During the breeding season, (in the 

 months of May and June,) the females live apart; 

 nor do they again collect into herds till towards 

 the end of the autumn. They are said to be very 

 delicate in the choice of their pasture ; and when 

 they have eaten a sufficiency, they usually retire to 

 some thicket, to chew their cud in security. 



The Stag has quick eyes, and an exquisite smell. 

 When listening, he raises his head, and erects his 

 ears. When entering into, or issuing from, a cop- 

 pice or half covered place, he first stops to take a 

 full view round him, and observe if any danger is 

 threatened. Although he is considered a somewhat 

 simple animal, he has both curiosity and cunning. 

 If any person happens to whistle, or call to him 

 from a distance, he stops short, and gazes atten- 

 tively upon the stranger, with a kind of awkward 

 admiration; and, if he perceives neither Dogs nor 

 fire-arms preparing against him, he goes slowly 

 forward, apparently without concern, and does not 

 attempt to run away. In general, he fears men 

 much less than Dogs ; and entertains no distrust of 

 them but in proportion as he is disturbed. 



These animals shed their horns every year, in the 

 spring. During the first year, the young ones have 

 no horns, but only a rough excrescence in tlje 

 place of them, .covered with a thin hairy skin. In 

 the second year the horns are straight and without 

 branches: the following year they acquire two 

 antlers, or branches; and they generally have an 



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