THE ROE AND HIS NATURE 45 



And sometimes the hounds and the hunters shall 

 pass above him and beside him and he will not stir. 

 For although he be a foolish beast he has many 

 ruses and treasons to help himself. He runneth 

 wondrous fast, for when he starts from his lair he 

 will go faster than a brace of good greyhounds. 

 They haunt thick coverts of wood, or thick heathes, 

 and sometimes in carres (marshes) and commonly 

 in high countries or in hills and valleys and some- 

 times in the plains. 



The kids are kidded with pomeled ^ (spotted) 

 hair as are the hind calves. And as a hind's calf 

 of the first year beginneth to put out his head, in 

 the same wise does he put out his small brokes ^ 

 (spikes) ere he be a twelvemonth old. He is 

 hardeled ^ but not undone as a hart, for he has no 

 venison that men should lay in salt. And some- 

 times he is given all to the hounds, and sometimes 

 only a part. They go to their feeding as other 

 beasts do, in the morning and in the evening, and 

 then they go to their lair. The roebuck remains 

 commonly in the same country both winter and 

 summer if he be not grieved or hunted out 



thereof. 



^ From the old French //omele. 

 ^ See Appendix : Roe. 

 2 See Appendix : Hardel. 



