AUG. PET ROE. 273 



evitably perish in the nest were they not daily 

 carried backwards and forwards by their parents. 

 The quantity of worms required to sustain one of 

 these birds would astonish those town-bred natur- 

 alists who gravely assert that the woodcock " lives 

 on suction." 



Whilst walking in a wood I was surprised at 

 seeing a roe standing within a little distance of me, 

 with a silver bell hung round its neck. Having 

 taken a good look at me, the beautiful little animal 

 bounded off into the recesses of the wood, ringing 

 its bell, to the astonishment of the rabbits who were 

 feeding about the openings of the cover. This roe 

 belonged to the ladies at Darnaway; and, with the 

 usual wilfulness of such pets, had wandered away 

 from its proper home, where it lived in security and 

 plenty, petted by all, and had taken up its abode in 

 the wood, which was several miles from Darnaway, 

 and where it ran the risk of being worried by colley 

 dogs or shot while feeding in the neighbouring 

 corn-fields. Once or twice afterwards, when I was 

 shooting in this wood, the beagles started and ran 

 the roe some distance before I could stop them. 

 As long as he continued ringing his bell through 

 this cover I seldom saw any other roe in it, although 

 at other times it was a favourite resort of these 

 beautiful creatures. Once it followed, for some 



vol. I. T 



