The Zoologist— June, 1867. 779 



a beautiful example occurred near Luss, on Loch Lomond ; it was 

 protected for some time, but perished during severe weather, and is 

 now preserved in the collection of Sir James Colquhoun. The fawns, 

 like those of most deer, are beautifully marked with white spots, 

 arranged in lines along the flanks. 



The history of the reproduction of the roe-deer has long been a 

 puzzle to German naturalists and sportsmen. The old story, which 

 has been adopted by almost every English writer, was that the rutting 

 season was in November and December, and that the doe went five 

 months with young. But it has long been known by continental 

 observers that the buck seeks his mate in the end of July and 

 beginning of August, at which season he is constantly decoyed in 

 Germany by an imitation of the cry of the doe ; and Dr. Tiegler's ana- 

 tomical investigations proved beyoud doubt that this was the true 

 pairing season. Still the problem seemed as dark as ever, for no fceti 

 were ever found until the beginning of January, and then only of very 

 small size and undeveloped organization. In the year 1843, Professor 

 Bischoff, an anatomist of European fame, took up the question, and 

 spent ten years in careful study, the results of which he published in 

 an elaborate and beautifully illustrated treatise entitled ■ Entwicklungs- 

 geschicte des Rehes ' (Giessen, 1854), in which he settles the matter 

 most conclusively, and at the same time introduces us to a new marvel 

 of Natural History. The results of these investigations, during which 

 he examined between a hundred and thirty and a hundred and fifty 

 does, are briefly as follows. The rutting season is in July and August, 

 but instead of the ovum or germ rapidly developing as in other species 

 it remains dormant and of very minute size until the middle of 

 December (four months and a half) ; then it suddenly quickens, and 

 is developed with rapidity, the whole period of gestation being forty 

 weeks. It would of course be impossible in a paper of this nature to 

 follow Professor Bischoff through all the steps by which he 

 demonstrates these extraordinary and exceptional facts ; but his clear 

 and patient narrative, his minute details, and, above all, his well-known 

 character for scientific accuracy, leave no doubt as to the truth of his 

 conclusions. I am not aware that any translation of Bischoff's book has 

 appeared in this country, but Mr. C. Bonar has given a popular 

 account of his discovery in an excellent little work entitled ' Forest 

 Creatures.' One word before leaving this part of our subject. May 

 not some similar facts, not yet elucidated, explain the mystery as to 

 the breeding of the badger (Zool. 9217, 9277) ? 



