i6o WILD ANIMALS WORTH STALKING 



The habits of Deer vary according to season and 

 food supply. In parks where there is plenty of 

 keep during the Summer they spend most of the 

 day resting. From May till the end of September 

 they rest from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the shade 

 when the sun is hot. During the period of rest 

 they occasionally get up to stretch themselves; 

 after licking or scratching their sides with hoof and 

 horn they lie down again, but always on the other side. 



They pass their time in brushing flies off, chew- 

 ing their cud, and sleeping. About 2 p.m. they 

 feed and wander about until 4 p.m., when they 

 again lie down until about 7 p.m. Starting again, 

 they feed until 10 p.m., resting probably until 5 

 a.m. In the Winter, when they have to work 

 harder for food, they take their rest at midday 

 and night, three hours at a time, but much, of 

 course, depends on food supply. 



Snow and frost have no bad effect on Deer if 

 plenty of good food is put down for them; the 

 best is good hay and beans, although they are 

 particularly fond of maize, locust beans, and oil- 

 cake. 



During the Winter the bucks are in the lowest 

 condition and the does at their best, especially 

 those that may have lost their fawns in the 

 Summer. Does suckle their fawns up to within a 

 month of the next birth, and when a doe has lost 

 her fawn in the Summer I have often known the 



