Wll.I. I. IKK IN NK\V XKALAND. 



CHAPTER V. 



I \ii LATA FALLOW. IIF1). AM) SA.MBUR DEER. 



F.M.I.ow DEER (Cu-rua t/nm(l). 



int of iis graceful form, beautiful colouring, ami com- 

 paratively inoffensive inanni-r. this is tin- favourite deer for parks 

 ami pleasure-grounds. 



Tin- fallow deer has palmated antlers that is. they end in a 

 broad expansion, which is divided into several points, and has 

 compared to a hand with its lingers. These antlers are not 

 developed at all in tin- fawn; in the second season they are simple 

 'i the third the two front branches develop; in the fourth 

 the extremity of the beam begins to assume the palmated form; 

 while the fully developed antler occurs only in the sixth year. It 

 is thus possible to tell the a-je of a liuck by its antlers, and the 

 following terms have been used to distinguish the sta^s: Fawn. 

 ]iri<-kei. lorrel, snare, buck of tin- first lead, and buck coni]>lete. 

 The antlers are usually cast about November, but I have no in- 

 formation as to the dates in the different districts, and whether 

 the milder climate of the North Island causes any earlier develop- 

 in- nt. By the middle of February the new horns are al- 

 fioin their velvet, and in about live months the antler- are com- 

 plete. The breedim_r (ruttiiiL r > season be-jins about the middle of 



April, when the bucks are occasionally heard to utter a sort of 



-runtin-j bark. This is the only kind of sound uttered by these 

 animals. A .-in-le fawn is burn each \car. usually in the mouth 



of I>i cumber. 



Fallow deer an gregarioUfl animals. L'oinir aUut in herds. 

 which consist of bucks by then d of does and their fawns 



by then Thes t . herd- OOaleSC in l^ebruary and March, 



ami in Hri 1 the be'jinninj of winter. 



MJS winter L r atheriiiL r into 1. 



' the <la\> when they were forced to band together 

 in laru'e numbers to protect theni-.lve- fi'oin the attacks of \\olves 



It would be inti-n-st in- to li-arn 

 thi< habit of winter a-jL'reL'at ion i- kept up in New Zealand. 



