CHASE OF THE WILD RED DEER 113 



by joining the herd, if he has the oood fortune to 

 be able to do so. The habits of the animal are 

 the same now as they were in Queen Elizabeth's 

 time, for I can write nothing more accurate or 

 pointed upon these matters than that which has 

 already been written by the author of the ' Art 

 of Venerie ' : — 



' Again a hart bringeth the houndes to change 

 in an other manner : for as soon as he perceyveth 

 that the houndes runne him, and that he cannot 

 eschew them, he will breake into one thicket after 

 another to find other deare, and rowseth them, 

 and heardeth himselfe with them. So that he 

 holdeth herd with them sometimes an houre or 

 more before he will parte from them or breake 

 heard : then, if he feele himself spent, he will 

 breake heard, and fall a doubling and crossing in 

 some harde high way that is much beaten, or els 

 in some river or brooke, the which he wil keepe 

 as lonof as his breath will suffer him : and when 

 he perceyveth that he is farre before the houndes, 

 he will use like subtilties as before to beguyle 

 them, lying flat upon his belly in some hard way 

 or drie place, and crossing all his fourefeete under- 

 neath him, breathing and blowing against the 

 grounde as before saide, or against the water if 



H 



