IN THE LAND OF THE BORA. 133 



of their search. Unfortunately for the cause of 

 law and order, in her backward march she dis- 

 placed a small pebble, the sound of which guided 

 the thieves to the spot. With the energy of 

 despair, the anxious mother seized the first comer 

 and hurled her sprawling on to the other, who 

 promptly grappled. Before the fighting stage gave 

 place to the explanatory one,* the retreat was 

 finally and successfully carried out, and never did 

 beetles look more foolish than the discomfited 

 thieves. 



When I had finished laughing at them, I 

 resumed my search, but unsuccessfully, and from 

 that hour to this I have never seen, nor even 

 heard of, that stag again. 



NOTE TO CHAPTER XV. 



I have left this chapter to stand exactly as it originally 

 appeared (in the Field). As a matter of fact, it was not till 

 long afterwards, and then in rather a curious manner, that the 

 explanation of the matter reached me. The stag was one 

 which had escaped from captivity, many miles from where 

 I saw him. His ultimate fate is a mystery. I may add that, 

 in the present day, the red deer is not found either in Dalmatia, 

 the Herzegovina, Bosnia, or Montenegro. 



* " Draw first, and explain afterwards " (Western maxim). 



