OF THE STAG AND HIS NATURE. 19 



cannot be denied that there are always one or two 

 what the farmers call "long-nosed old hinds" 

 about ; but they are hinds which never have calves, 

 they mostly dwell by themselves, and ape the 

 characteristics of the other sex, even to the extent 

 of growing tushes. These old hinds are, as a rule, 

 easily distinguishable ; but of ordinary hinds of four 

 years old and upwards it would be safe to say that 

 not one per cent, misses laying down a calf. A few 

 well-authenticated cases of twins have been recorded, 

 but they are very rare. 



The calf when born is spotted like a fallow deer, 

 but loses his spots at about three months old. 

 During the summer and early autumn the habits of 

 the hinds vary somewhat according to the ground on 

 which they may be. In the enclosed country they 

 always lie in the woods, they live for the most part 

 separately, though where one hind is found, there 

 are probably others not far off ; but on open ground 

 they gather for mutual protection into small herds, 

 and stags on similar ground take a like precaution. 

 Young male deer keep company with the hinds till 

 they are about three years old, when they join the 

 stags, and generally each youngster attaches himself 

 to an older stag, who finds him of the greatest 

 service as a look-out, and also as a substitute if 

 hounds are about — the old writers talk of a stag and 

 his " esquire." 



Stags are not found in company with the hinds 

 except during the rutting season, which lasts for 



C 2 



