DEER KIND. 311 



The stag eats slowly, and is very delicate in 

 the choice of his pasture. When he has eaten a 

 sufficiency, he then retires to the covert of some 

 thicket to chew the cud in security. His rumi- 

 nation, however, seems performed with much 

 greater difficulty than with the cow or sheep ; for 

 the grass is not returned from the first stomach 

 without much straining, and a kind of hiccup, 

 which is easily perceived during the whole time it 

 continues. This may proceed from the greater 

 length of his neck, and the narrowness of the 

 passage, all those of the cow and the sheep kind 

 having it much wider. 



This animal's voice is much stronger, louder, 

 and more tremulous, in proportion as he advances 

 in age ; in the time of rut it is even terrible. At 

 that season he seems so transported with passion 

 that nothing obstructs his fury; and when at 

 bay, he keeps the dogs off with great intrepidity. 

 Some years ago, William Duke of Cumberland 

 caused a tiger and a stag to be enclosed in the 

 same area ; and the stag made so bold a defence, 

 that the tiger was at last obliged to fly. The 

 stag seldom drinks in the winter, and still less in 

 the spring, while the plants are tender and cover- 

 ed over with dew. It is in the heat of summer, 

 and during the time of rut, that he is seen con- 

 stantly frequenting the sides of rivers and lakes, 

 as well to slake his thirst as to cool his ardour. 

 He swims with great ease and strength, and best 

 at those times when he is fattest, his fat keeping 

 him buoyant, like oil upon the surface of the 

 water. During the time of rut he even ventures 



