STAG. FALLOW DEER. 113 



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28. The genus STAG, Cervus, includes all Ruminants that, 

 in the male sex, have deciduous horns on the head ; these horns 

 are always wanting in the female, with the single exception of 

 the species named Rein-deer. All these animals inhabit forests, 

 and are fleet in the chase ; their limbs are long and slender, the 

 body light and round, the coat clean and shining : in general 

 they are remarkable for the beauty and elegance of their forms ; 

 ordinarily, they shed their horns in the spring. 



29. A great number of different species are known, among 

 which we will mention, the common Stag, the Fallow Deer, the 

 Roebuck, the Rein-Deer, and the Elk. 



30. The Stag, properly so called, the common Stag, Cervus 

 Elephns, (Plate. 5. fry. 7.) is found in forests. The female is 

 named a Hind or Doc, and the young is called a Fawn. The 

 male only has horns. At about six months old there is perceived 

 on the head two tubercles ; at this time the animal is called a 

 Knnbbcr ; at one year old these tubercles are lengthened, and 

 though simple, they are from five to ten inches long. At this 

 period the animal loses the skin that covers them, the horns remain, 

 naked for sometime before they fall, and the Knobber takes the 

 name of Pricket, Brock, or Stayyurd. When the Fawn reaches 

 his third year, he loses the spikes or spears, and the horns which 

 replace them ordinarily have three brances and are called Antlers. 

 During each succeeding year to the seventh, the horns, on being 

 reproduced, have an additional antler, so that the horns of old 

 Stags are generally composed of seven branches which spring 

 from a common stalk. 



31. This animal is very delicate in his choice of food, which 

 usually consists of herbs or young buds and roots of different 

 trees. When his hunger is satisfied, he retires to the shade of" 

 some dense foliage and ruminates, but with more difficulty than 

 the cow or sheep ; he makes a hiccough-sort of noise the whole 

 time : his hearing and sense of smell are very fine. 



32. The Fallow Deer, Cervus Dama,is not so large as the 

 Stag ; he has a longer tail, black above and white below. His 



28. Wi at animals belong to the genus Stag? Have all the females of 

 this genus bom?-? What are the general ch sracters of animals of this genus? 



29. Is ihere more than one species of :he genus Stig? 



30. Where is the Stag properly FO called found ? What is the female Stag 

 called ? What is a Fawn ? What is the young Stag called when its horns 

 are first peri eiv :d ? What is the animal when it is a year eld ? When do 

 the Antlers appear ? What is th greatest number of Antlers possessed by a 

 Stag? 



31. On what does the Stag feed ? 



32. What are the characters of the Fallow-Deer ? Is this Deer found wild ? 



