BOOK VIII.] History of Nature. 57 



rather some Place near the Ways that are trodden with 

 Man's Steps, than secret Corners which lie open to wild 

 Beasts. They are got with Young after the rising of the Star 

 Arcturus ; they go eight Months, and sometimes produce 

 two Calves at once. Finding themselves with Young, they 

 part Company with the Stags. But the Males, seeing them- 

 selves left, fall into the Rage of Heat, and dig Pits in the 

 Ground. Then their Muzzles become black, and so con- 

 tinue, until such Time as the Rain washeth away the Colour. 

 The Hinds, before they calve, purge themselves with the 

 Herb called Seselis, 1 whereby they have more easy Deliver- 

 ance. After Parturition they have two Herbs, which are called 

 Arus 2 and Seselis, after having eaten of which they return 

 to their Young, being willing, for some unknown Reason, 

 that their first Milk should taste of these Herbs. They exer- 

 cise their new-born little ones in the Race, and teach them 

 to know how to fly away. They lead them to high and 

 craggy Rocks, and show them how to leap. And now the 

 Stags being past the Heat of Rut, fall eagerly to their Food. 

 When they find themselves to be grown very Fat, they seek 

 Lurking-places, confessing how incommodious their Weight 

 is to them. At other Times always they delight in flight ; and 

 stand still to look behind. But when the Hunters are come 

 near them, then they seek the Shelter of Flight again ; and 

 this they do for a Pain in their Bowels, which Parts are so 

 tender, that with a slight Blow they will burst within. When 

 they hear the barking of the Hounds they fly, but always in 

 the Course of the Wind, that the Scent of their Tracks may 

 pass away with them. They take great Delight in the Sound 

 of the Shepherd's Pipes, and in Song. When they erect 

 their Ears, they are very quick of Hearing ; when they let 

 them hang down, they are deaf. In other respects it is a 

 simple Creature, stupidly wondering at everything; inso- 

 much that if an Horse or an Heifer approach near, it will 



1 Lib. xx. 5. 



2 Lib. xxiv. 16. This plant is the Arum of Dioscorides (lib. ii. 

 c. 142), and must not be confounded with the Egyptian Arum. Wern. 

 Club. 



