216 COMBAT OF STAGS. 



Having now screwed up his courage to the stickirig-place, 

 he turns aside, and winds down the moss, bellowing and 

 tossing abroad the heather with his antlers, his wrath 

 seeming to increase as he moves onwards ; his dauntless 

 adversary sends back a loud defiance, and rushes forth to 

 meet him in fair combat. The hinds wheel their ranks, 

 and stand, with curious gaze and erect ears, to witness the 

 joust, and now the combatants meet brow to brow, 

 butting and goring each other with great fury, till at 

 length their antlers are fairly locked together. After 

 some violent struggles they extricate themselves; and, 

 being well matched, and quite exhausted, both sink upon 

 their knees, and rest a space in that posture, still antler 

 to antler. Somewhat revived by this brief cessation, they 

 set to again, till the intruder, being at length forced back- 

 wards to the edge of a precipice, and feeling himself 

 worsted, turns quickly aside, and fairly takes to flight, 

 but runs in circles round the hinds, as reluctant to leave 

 them. The victor follows close at his heels, goring him 

 in the haunches ; ever, as he is touched, he starts aside, till 

 at length, beaten and jaded, he fairly gives up the contest, 

 and gallops away, still hotly pursued. 



Whilst this chase after the fugitive was continuing, in 

 comes another hart from the opposite quarter; but no 

 sooner had the victor heard his bellowing, than he returned 

 to secure his hinds, and quickly drove this gay gentleman 

 away, who took to his heels incontinently, being a beast of 

 no mark or likelihood.* 



After this amusing spectacle was over, these deer, being 



* This law of " detur fortiori " is an admirable provision of nature 

 for keeping the stock from degenerating. 



