144 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



but with a low and interrupted voice. They are 

 not so -furious at this season as the Stag, nor 

 exhaust themselves by any uncommon ardour. 

 They never leave their pasture in quest of the 

 females, but generally fight with each other, till 

 one Buck becomes master of the field. 



They associate in herds, which sometimes divide 

 into two parties, and maintain obstinate battles for 

 the possession of some favourite part of the park : 

 each party has its leader, which is always the 

 oldest and strongest of the flock. They attack in 

 regular order of battle ; they fight with courage 

 and mutually support each other ; they retire, they 

 rally, and seldom give up after one defeat : the 

 combat is frequently renewed for several days to- 

 gether ; till after many defeats, the weaker party is 

 obliged to give way, and leave the conquerors in 

 possession of the object of their contention. 



The Fallow-Deer is easily tamed, feeds upon a 

 variety of things which the Stag refuses, and pre- 

 serves its condition nearly the same through the 

 whole year, although its flesh is esteemed much 

 finer at particular seasons. 



They are capable of procreation in their second 

 year ; and, like the Stag, are fond of variety. The 

 female goes with young eight months ; and pro- 

 duces one, sometimes two, and rarely three, at a 

 time. They arrive at perfection at the age of three 

 years, and live till about twenty. 



We have in England two varieties of the Fallow- 

 Deer, which are said to be of foreign origin : the 

 beautiful spotted kind, supposed to have been 

 brought from Bengal ; and the deep-brown sort, 

 now common in this country. These last were 

 introduced by King James the First, out of Norway; 



