ROE DEER. 135 



Deer and their habits. He remarks that, "The greatest draw- 

 back to preserving Roe to any great extent is, that they are so 

 shy and nocturnal in their habits that they seldom show them- 

 selves in the daytime. I sometimes see a Roe passing like a 

 shadow through the trees, or standing gazing at me from a dis- 

 tance in some sequestered glade ; but, generally speaking, they 

 are no ornament about a place, their presence being only known 

 by the mischief they do to the young plantations and to the 

 crops. A keeper in Kincardineshire this year told me that he 

 had often, early in the morning, counted above twenty Roe in a 

 single turnip-field. As for the sport afforded by shooting them, 

 I never killed one without regretting it, and wishing that I could 

 bring the poor animal to life again. I do not think that Roe are 

 sufficiently appreciated as venison, yet they are excellent eating 

 when killed in proper season, between October and February, 

 and of proper age. In summer the meat is not worth cooking, 

 being dry and sometimes rank." 



The Roe is a good swimmer, and often crosses rivers, probably 

 in order to get a change of food, though sometimes there is no 

 reason apparent. On this point St. John tells us : " For some 

 unknown reason, as they do it without apparent cause, such as 

 being hard-hunted or driven by want of food, the Roe some- 

 times take it into their heads to swim across wide pieces of 

 water, and even arms of the sea. I have known Roe caught by 

 boatmen in the Cromarty Firth, swimming strongly across the 

 entrance of the bay, and making good way against the current 

 of the tide, which runs there with great rapidity. Higher up 

 the same firth, too, Roe have been caught when in the act -of 

 crossing. When driven by hounds I have seen one cross 

 Loch Ness." 



The dentition is the same as that of the Fallow Deer. 



