THE ROE-DEER, OR THE ROEBUCK. 39 



were astir, traversing the wood from end to end, not 

 one of them was ever seen. The natural conclusion 

 was that they left the wood at one end immediately 

 the sportsmen entered at the other ; but that this 

 was not so I satisfied myself. To have evacuated 

 by the north end of the wood when we entered at 

 the south would have meant that they had no 

 alternative but to face the open moors, which in 

 that direction rose to a tremendous altitude, and 

 were unwooded for ten or eleven miles until, 

 indeed, the next valley was reached, which was 

 entirely out of the home-range of this band of deer. 

 Moreover, a hind living at that end of the wood 

 told me that he had never seen them cross the 

 hills. Therefore, either the deer left the wood 

 by a break in the surrounding wall, and doubled 

 back till they were behind the line of advancing 

 gunners, or they took cover where they were 

 and allowed the gunners to walk over them. I 

 rather incline to the latter view, as I have heard 

 a deer, disturbed by a dog, break cover behind us, 

 in which case we are afforded an example of sagacity 

 on the part of the roe which is worthy of special 

 notice. Unfortunately I never knew this wood to 

 be systematically beaten, or I might have obtained 

 some clue to the mystery. 



If, then, the roe-deer, on knowing itself to be 

 in danger, seeks out the densest cover and crouches 

 there like a hare, remaining hidden till the danger 

 is past, when it steals out and retires swiftly to 

 safety, we may consider that therein lies one of the 

 secrets of its survival. 



At one time I spent many fruitless days in 

 attempting to photograph roe-deer in their natural 

 state, and during this experience I was impressed 

 not so much by their cunning for in some respects 



