158 WILD ANIMALS WORTH STALKING 



where she leaves her fawn for some hours before 

 returning to feed it. This takes place in the even- 

 ing. The next morning the fawn will probably be 

 found some distance from where it was seen the 

 previous evening. 



The first fortnight of its life is spent in sleep 

 during the day and feeding and play at night. 

 When about fourteen days old it follows the 

 mother and is seldom seen from her side mixing 

 with the herd. If the weather is warm when 

 fawns are born, in about three days afterwards 

 they are strong enough to make their escape 

 from most enemies, unless it is a very fast dog. 

 Showing the strength and activity of fawns even 

 at birth, I once knew of a doe which gave birth to 

 a fawn. A friend of mine rode up to it for the 

 purpose of earmarking (a custom for keeping up 

 the stock) when up it got and went over the sea 

 cliff, swimming out to sea about two hundred 

 yards and returning to the same spot ! He 

 marked it and carried it into the park none the 

 worse for its adventure. Seven years afterwards 

 he killed it, and it was then a fat buck weighing 

 140 lbs. clear. 



Some does have their first fawn at two years 

 old, while others do not breed until the third year. 

 They usually breed until about fourteen years of 

 age, and may live a few years longer. Bucks are 

 not so long-lived as does, for nine years is a good 



