THE STAG IN THE RUTTING SEASON. 35 



dwelt like a recluse in the forest solitudes, now comes 

 forth into the noonday world ; away he bounds, and 

 before the morning dawns he is in another territory : 

 he has traversed the valleys and has toiled up the 

 steep mountain-sides, and, bearing away for the well- 

 known open glade in the beech-forest, has reached it 

 before the hinds have brushed the dew from the grass 

 in retreating to their covert*. 



And thus, year after year perhaps, will a stag be 

 seen at a certain spot at this particular season, al- 

 though he is absent the whole year beside. Not only 

 is the distance he travels, but the speed also with 

 which he traverses the ground, astonishing. His pace 

 is a sort of ambling trot, nor does he skim over the 

 ground at full speed except when the foe is nigh ; in- 

 deed at this season a stag could not maintain such 

 pace long, he being too well-conditioned, and his broad 

 back and sides too heavy, for the exertion of a stride 

 like the courser's when careering over the plain ; and 

 though the poet may, with undisputed license, describe 

 him as galloping along, he never does so except when 

 suddenly scared and when hotly pursued. And indeed 

 in his other pace there is beauty too, and more of 



* Since these words were written I have met with a very graceful 

 allusion to the deer being out at early morning, in the poems of M. 

 Casimir Sarbievius, translated by R. C. Coxe. 



" Friendly dews ! with faithful guiding 

 Show where roving, feeding, loving, 

 Sought the stag at last his hiding, 



Cautious through the covert moving ! 

 Show your king the cloven horn. 

 Gentle dews of early mom!" 



D 2 



