WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



back through the midst of the rank of beaters; particularly 

 if it has any suspicion of a concealed enemy in consequence 

 of having scented or heard the shooters at their posts, for 

 it prefers facing the shouts and noise ofthe beaters to pass- 

 ing within reach of a hidden danger, the extent and nature 

 of which it has not ascertained. By taking advantage of 

 the animal's timidity and shyness in this respect, I have 

 frequently got shots at roe in large woods by placing 

 people in situations where the animal could smell them but 

 not see them, thus driving it back to my place of conceal- 

 ment. Though they generally prefer the warmest and 

 driest part of the woods to lie in, I have sometimes when 

 looking for ducks started roe in the marshygrounds, where 

 they lie close in the tufts of long heather and rushes. Being 

 much tormented with ticks and wood-flies, they frequently 

 in the hot weather betake themselves not only to these 

 marshy places, but even to the fields of high corn, where 

 they sit in a form like a hare. Being good swimmers, they 

 cross rivers without hesitation in their way to and from 

 their favourite feeding-places; indeed I have often known 

 roe pass across the river daily, living on one side, and 

 going to feed every evening on the other. Even when 

 wounded, I have seen a roebuck beat three powerful and 

 active dogs in the water, keeping ahead of them, and re- 

 quiring another shot before he was secured. Though very 

 much attached to each other, and living mostly in pairs, I 

 have known a doe take up her abode for several years in a 

 solitary strip of wood. Every season she crossed a large 

 extent of hill to find a mate, and returned after two or three 

 weeks' absence. When her young ones, which she produced 



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