182 EXTRACTS FROM NOTE-BOOKS. CII. XXXI. 



bers as to eat up and destroy the entire crop in a 

 single night ; or if the cultivated ground be exten- 

 sive, they will repeat their visit in spite of all 

 attempts to drive them away ; and the cleverness 

 they display in taking advantage of every un- 

 guarded moment is quite astonishing. In Suther- 

 landshire little loss accrues to the tenant from this, 

 as a fair allowance for such damage is always 

 readily granted. It is a curious sight to see these 

 animals depending entirely on their own resources 

 and cunning in avoiding danger, and, in spite of 

 their natural timidity, coming fearlessly down to 

 the very door of a cottage to feed on their favourite 

 food, and frequently from very considerable dis- 

 tances ; and even after the oats are cut and piled 

 up in sheaves, I have seen red-deer with astonishing 

 boldness manage to appropriate to themselves no in- 

 considerable share of the ripe corn. 



All the deer tribe soon find out when danger 

 ceases. In a domesticated state no animal becomes 

 more fearless and bold than a stag ; and in propor- 

 tion as they become so, they are dangerous to 

 strangers, whom they attack with great fierceness. 

 They have, however, discrimination enough to 

 assault women more frequently than men, being 

 evidently aware that they are the more helpless of 

 the two, and less able to resist. Even a roebuck, 



