128 RED DEER. 



goes straight away, then finding that speed 

 and distance will not throw off his pursuers, 

 he tries art, next he courses round, and often 

 returns to bay and is killed near the spot 

 whence he started. He always stands at bay 

 in water, a river, or stream, and very often 

 swims out to sea. 



As he breaks from cover, a stag has 

 his mouth open, blows a little, and lolls his 

 tongue ; sometimes his tongue lolls out a 

 long way. In half an hour or so he gets his 

 ' wind,' then he draws in his tongue, shuts his 

 mouth, and keeps it tightly closed to the 

 end, while his nostrils are widely open. He 

 shows no outward sign of perspiration : he 

 does not ' turn a hair,' or lather ; and, 

 however much he may get in water, his coat 

 never seems wet — that is, saturated. Wet 

 does not adhere, as if the coat were oily. 



He goes direct at the thickest bushes, if 

 he comes to a hedge ; or, if it is a wall, to 

 the highest part, leaps on the top, and then 

 over. Now and then he will fly the wall at 



