THE FALLOW DEER. 129 



dilatorily as possible. If siicli a fat buck is scared, you 

 see at once by his motion how little adapted such port- 

 liness is for speed or agility. But they are brave, as 

 their battles with each other sufficiently attest ; the 

 formation of their antlers, however, prevents fatal re- 

 sults occurring as frequently as in the combats of the 

 red-deer : mth these, the terrific curved brow-antlers 

 often bring death. 



The sight and hearing of fallow deer are quite as 

 good as of red deer. They are, moreover, extremely 

 attentive and watchful, so that it is difficult to 

 stalk them. Directly they perceive you approaching 

 stealthily and with evident caution, they take alarm ; 

 and, after gazing a moment, and a sudden sound of 

 fear, they bound away to the next thicket. The best 

 method of getting into their neighbourhood, is to walk 

 on seemingly quite careless whether they are there or 

 not, humming a tune, or, if in company, keeping up a 

 conversation the while. They then appear to be put 

 off their guard, and to suspect nothing. 



No animal I have ever met with seems possessed of 

 such tenacity of life, such utter indifference to wounds, 

 as a fallow-buck. It is quite astonishing to see how 

 little effect a number of bullets will have upon him, as 

 long as no vital part is struck. Once in Suabia I was 

 out in the morning, after a day's shooting, to look for 

 a buck that had been wounded. I found him quietly 



