OF NATURAL HISTORY. 405 



i^efoiiree Is now left him but to fly from the earth which he 

 treads, and go into the waters, in order to cut off the fcent 

 from the dogs, when the huntfmen again endeavour to put 

 them on the track of his foot. After taking to the water, 

 the ftag is fo much exhaufted that he is incapable of run- 

 ning much farther, and is foon at hay, or, in other words, 

 turns and defends himfelf againlt the hounds. In this fitua- 

 tion he often wounds the dogs, and even the huntfmen, by 

 blows with his horns, till one of them cuts his hams to make 

 him fall, and then puts a period to his life. The fallow-deer 

 is more dehcate, lefs favage, and approaches nearer to the 

 domeftic ftate than the ftag. The males, during the rutting 

 feafon, make a bellowing noife, but with a low and interrupt- 

 ed voice. They are not fo furious as the ftag. They never 

 depart from their own country in queft of females ; but 

 they bravely fight for the poffeflion of their miftreffes. They 

 affociate in herds, which generally keep together. When 

 great numbers are affembled in one park, they commonly 

 form themfelves into two diftin(Sl: troops, which foon become 

 hoftile ; becaufe they are both ambitious of poffeffing the 

 fame part of the inclofure. Each of thefe troops has its own 

 chief or leader, who always marches foremoft, and he is uni- 

 formly the oldeft and ftrongeft of the flock. The others 

 follow him ; and the whole draw up in order of battle, to 

 force the other troop, who obferve the fame conduct, from 

 the beft pafture. The regularity with which thefe combats 

 are conducted is Angular. They make regular attacks, fight 

 with courage, and never think themfelves vanquiflied by one 

 check ; for the battle is daily renewed till the weaker are 

 completely defeated, and obliged to remain in the worft paf- 

 ture. They love elevated and hilly countries. When 

 hunted, they run not ftraight out, like the ftag, but double, 

 and endeavour to conceal themfelves from the dogs by va- 

 rious artifices, and by fubftituting other animals in their 



C c c. 



