NATURAL HISTORY. 205 



sufficiently distinguish him from the rest of the inha- 

 bitants of the forest. 



The old stags shed their horns first, which happens 

 about the end of February, or the beginnmg of March. 

 Stags in their seventh year do not undergo this change 

 till the middle or the end of March ; nor do those in 

 the sixth year, till the month of April. 



After they have shed their horns, they separate from 

 each other ; the very young ones only associating to- 

 gether. They remain no longer in covert ; they seek 

 the beautiful parts of the country, the groves, and the 

 open coppices, where they remain all summer, till they 

 recover the antlers which used to adorn their brows. 

 During this season, they carry their heads low, for 

 fear of striking them against the branches ; for they 

 are exceedingly tender till they arrive at perfection. 

 The horns of the oldest stags are scarcely half repaired 

 by the month of May ; nor do they attain their full 

 length and hardness till about the end of July. The 

 horns of the young stag are very late shed, and very 

 late recovered ; but when they are completely length- 

 ened, and are become quite hard, they rub them a- 

 gainst the trees, in order to brush off the scurf with 

 which they are covered. 



The hinds, or females, carry theiryoung eight months 

 and a few days : they are not all prolific ; and there 

 is one sort in particular which is always barren : the 

 fawn retains this appellation no longer than till it is 

 six months old ; then the knobs begin to appear, and 

 it takes the name of a knobber, which it bears till these 

 knobs are lengthened to so many points, whence they 

 are termed prickets, or brockets. It does not quit its 

 dam early, though it grows fast, but follows her all 

 the summer. In winter, the hinds, the knobbcrs, the 



