40 ROE-SHOOTING. 



deadly gun is instantly detected, while the harmless work- 

 man may even blast the rock and cause no alarm. This 

 fact I have been assured of by men employed on the 

 Highland road, who had often seen the roes peeping at 

 them from the cliffs above, watching their whole pro- 

 ceedings without any signs of fear. 



The roe has no great kindliness to the fallow deer. It 

 is a curious fact, that on Loch Lomond there are two 

 large wooded islands which the roes constantly haunt, 

 without ever crossing to a third, where deer are kept, 

 though well adapted to their habits. .When swimming 

 in and out of these islands, the roes have regular passes 

 as on land, but if a boat be near they will never attempt 

 to cross. A few years ago, an English gentleman wish- 

 ing for a couple, a plan of catching them in the water 

 was thought of; for this purpose, boats were concealed 

 near the passes, and the roes hunted out of the islands : 

 but they were such dexterous swimmers, and doubled so 

 well, that they always escaped, until the thought of fixing 

 a noose to a pole suggested itself, by which simple de- 

 vice they were soon secured. In a short time, they be- 

 came quite domesticated, and would eat from the hand 

 of their keeper. 



Another was caught many years ago, which my brothers 

 and I, when boys, begged to be allowed to tame. We 

 used to bring it leaves in great quantities, which it would 

 eat from our hands, always preferring those of the moun- 

 tain-ash. The confinement, however, did not agree with 



