THE ROE-DEER, OR THE ROEBUCK. 41 



The only occasion on which I knew a roe to 

 break the thread in circuit with the camera was 

 one winter's day after a light fall of snow, and on 

 that occasion, unhappily, the weight of snow on 

 the thread had operated the shutter only a few 

 seconds before the passing of the deer ! 



These experiences have never ceased to mystify 

 me. It is inconceivable that the deer actually saw 

 the cotton, which was no more visible than a 

 spider's web, while being deeply hidden in the 

 bracken. Nor was it scent that warned them, for 

 man's scent was everywhere in the wood. On 

 some occasions a veritable maze of threads covered 

 the field of the camera, so that it was impos- 

 sible for a deer to approach without touching 

 one or another of them, but the only difference 

 was that the deer did not approach. Yet these 

 deer were so tame that, when unarmed, one 

 could easily approach within ninety paces of 

 them. 



HOME-RANGE. 



The home-range of an individual roe is seldom 

 more than two miles in length ; that is, the deer 

 lives within a mile of some central point. I have, 

 however, known them to wander six miles from 

 point to point ; but this is rare. 



The roe-deer is a creature of more or less regular 

 habits and regular runways, and even a two-mile 

 range may contain many miles of visible track. 

 Also, it will contain at least three harbours in 

 regular use. One of these is probably an open, 

 sunny plateau, where the bracken alone affords 

 sufficient cover for safety, while not excluding the 

 sun. The other two beds may be on compara- 

 tively swampy ground, in the heart of the densest 



