DEER KIND. 32? 



rarely wild in the forests ; they are, in general, 

 bred up in parks, anoMcept for the purposes of 

 hunting, or of luxury, their flesh being preferred 

 to that of any other animal. It need scarcely be 

 mentioned, that the horns of the buck make its 

 principal distinction, being broad and palmated, 

 whereas those of the stag are in every part round. 

 In the one, they are flatted and spread like the 

 palm of the hand ; in the other they grow like a 

 tree, every branch being of the shape of the stem 

 that bears it. The fallow-deer also has the tail 

 longer, and the hair lighter than the stag ; in 

 other respects, they pretty nearly resemble one 

 another.* 



The head of the buck, as of all other animals 

 of this kind, is shed every year, and takes the 

 usual time for repairing. The only difference 

 between it and the stag is, that this change hap- 

 pens later in the buck ; and its rutting time, con- 

 sequently, falls more into the winter. It is not 

 found so furious at this season as the former, nor 

 does it so much exhaust itself by the violence of 

 its ardour. It does not quit its natural pastures 



[* Mr White, in his Natural History of Selbornc, informs us, that the 

 fallow-deer is furnished with two spiracula, or breathing places, besides the 

 nostrils. When deer are thirsty they plunge their noses, like some horses, 

 very deep under water while in the act of drinking, and continue them in 

 that situation for a considerable time ; but, to obviate any inconveniency, 

 they can open two vents, one at the inner corner of each eye, having a com- 

 munication with the nose. This seems, as our author observes, to be an ex- 

 traordinary provision of nature ; for it looks as if these creatures could not 

 be suffocated, though their mouths and nostrils were both stopped. This 

 curious formation of the head, he farther remarks, may be of singular service 

 to beasts of chase, by affording them free respiration ; and no doubt these 

 additional nostrils are thrown open when they are hard run. Mr Pennant 

 has observed the same curious organization in the antelope. ] 



