138 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



Stags are gregarious, and fond of grazing in 

 company: it is danger or necessity alone that 

 separates them. 



The Stag, in England, is usually of a reddish 

 colour; in other countries it is generally brown or 

 yellow. His eye is peculiarly beautiful, soft, and 

 sparkling : his hearing is quick ; and his sense of 

 smelling acute. When listening, he raises his 

 head, erects his ears, and seems attentive to every 

 noise, which he can hear at a great distance. 

 When he approaches a thicket, he stops to look 

 around him on all sides, and attentively surveys 

 every object near him : if the wary animal perceive 

 nothing to alarm him, he moves slowly forward ; 

 but on the least appearance of danger, he flies off 

 with the rapidity of the wind. He appears to 

 listen with great tranquility and delight to the 

 sound of the shepherd's pipe, which is sometimes 

 made use of to allure the poor animal to its 

 destruction. 



The Stag eats slowly, and is nice in the choice of 

 his pasture. When his stomach is full, he lies 

 down to chew the cud at leisure. This, however, 

 seems to be attended with greater exertions than in 

 the Ox or the Sheep ; for the grass is not returned 

 from the first stomach without violent straining, 

 owing to the great length of his neck, and the 

 narrowness of the passage. This effort is made by 

 a kind of hiccup, which continues during the time 

 of his ruminating. 



The voice of the Stag is stronger and more 

 quivering as he advances in age : in the rutting 

 season, it is even terrible. That of the Hind is not 

 so loud ; and is seldom heard, but when excited by 

 apprehension for herself or her young. 



