THE ROE. 343 



said to leap aside, lie flat on his belly among bushes 

 or long grass, and suffer the Dogs to pass close by 

 his nose without his offering to move. 



The natural disposition of these animals is gene- 

 rally marked by an extreme degree of shyness and 

 timidity; and their constitution and temperament 

 are so delicate, that a continuance of cold weather 

 for a little while longer than usual, will frequently 

 destroy great numbers of them. We are inform- 

 ed that in the hard winter of 1709, the species 

 was almost extirpated from Burgundy ; and that 

 many years elapsed before it was restored. In 

 Scotland it is found so difficult to rear the Fawns in 

 confinement, that it has been computed that eight 

 out of ten of those taken from their parents, die 

 before they arrive at maturity*. 



M. de Buffon, at different times, reared several ; 

 but he was never able to keep them alive more than 

 five or six years. He informs us that they are ex- 

 ceedingly delicate in the choice of their food; that 

 they require much exercise, pure air, and a sufficient 

 space to range about in. For a pair of these ani- 

 mals to live comfortably, they should be allowed, 

 (he says,) the range of a park, consisting of at least 

 a hundred acres. They seldom become either obe- 

 dient or familiar, since they generally retain a 



* Pennant's British Zoology, L p, 51. 



A a 4 great 



