92 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



found near Freinwalde, in the Mark of Brandeburgh, which 

 had, it seems, more than one hundred antlers*. 



The Stag and hind had, in former times, further techni- 

 cal names in the vocabularies of Venerie. The Hart of the 

 sixth year was an hart of ten ; and after the seventh he was 

 distinguished as an hart crocked, palmed, or crowned. The 

 Hind passed successively from the appellation of calf, to 

 Brocket's Sister, and then hind, which is her third and adult 

 state of existence. 



Stags mew or shed their horns in the spring : the oldest 

 first, about the end of February ; the hart often, in March 

 or April ; and the young in May. On their losing their 

 attire, they withdraw into the thickest covers until the new 

 horns are completed, which does not occur till about 

 August, when they begin to rub off the skin or velvet which 

 covers them, against the stems of trees. They are able to 

 procreate at eighteen months of age, although at that time 

 one-third of their full growth is still wanting. The rut- 

 ting season commences in September, and produces in the 

 animal the most violent paroxysms of fury; his throat 

 swells, he bellows, he leaves his food, forsakes his rest, 

 traverses the country in various directions; if he meet 

 another stag of equal age, a fierce battle ensues ; they run 

 at each other with the heads low, and with such force that 

 sometimes the horns get entangled beyond their power of 



* This learned and amiable chief forest-keeper to the Elector of 

 Hesse, died in 1821 ; the work here referred to is his Weidmans 

 Feierabende, 6th vol. p. 33. That Stags of this class might formerly 

 exist in England, appears from the Lytell Geste of Robyn Hood. 



" Yonder I see a ryght fayer hart 



***** 

 His tynde are so sharp, mayster 

 Of sixty and well mo * * * 



