Virginia Deer 
the shade of wide-topped elms in high windy pastures along with the 
farmer’s cattle. It would certainly be difficult to find a creature lead- 
ing a happier, more carefree life than our wild deer of the present 
day. After generations of persecution and terror, reduced to lonely 
individuals hiding afraid in distant forests, chased by dogs and shot at 
by man, fearful of greeting one of their own kind even, lest it prove 
an enemy in disguise, they are allowed once more to enjoy the land 
in safety. True to their name they have already forgiven man his 
savage treatment and show but slight alarm at his presence, taking 
retribution only in an occasional visit to his growing corn and fields 
of herd grass and clover. 
They may now call to each other in the twilight without fear of 
betraying themselves to the hunter and roam the conntry over in 
families or alone as suits each one the best. 
If a dog so much as chases them he may be shot lawfully and _ his 
owner fined or imprisoned. What does it matter to them that in 
certain counties they may be hunted for a few weeks each year; 
who would not be willing to be shot at occasionally during so short a 
period with the chances in favour each time of getting away 
untouched, if in return he could enjoy such splendid health 
throughout the year P . 
They now have probably fewer natural foes to contend with than 
almost any other creature. 
Foxes, it is likely, getafew of the fawns in early summer, but the 
danger from them must be insignificant as compared with that the 
deer were compelled to face or avoid when the land was wild and 
Indians, panthers, wolves and lynxes hunted them winter and summer 
alike. 
It is said that in some parts deer are already making decided 
nuisances of themselves by foraging on the farmer’s crops; | trust it is 
not a far look ahead to the time when it will be true of them where 
! live in New Hampshire. 
Only last August a full-grown buck with goodly antlers came 
into our field at noon, and, walking about in the tall grass, probably 
made as good a meal of English grass and alsike clover as his fore- 
bears were in the way of getting when they had only the wild 
growths of the forest and wild meadows to choose from. 
When | see them enjoying all the splendid freedom of wind and 
sky over the brown pastures, or bounding away with tails in the air, 
| feel that of all the creatures driven away by the early settlers, no 
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