OF NATURAL HISTORY. 401 



•down on his bell7 to conceal himfelf. When In this fituation, if by 

 any means his foot is recovered by the dogs, they purfue him with 

 more advantage, becaufe he is now confiderably fatigued. Their 

 ardour increafes in proportion to his feeblenefs ; and the fcent be- 

 comes ftronger as he grows warm. From thefe circumftances the 

 dogs augment their cries and their fpeed ; and, though the ftag em- 

 ploys more arts of efcape than formerly, as his fwiftnefs is diminiGi- 

 ed, his doublings and artifices become gradually lefs effedual. No 

 other refource is now left him but to fly from the earth which he 

 treads, and go into the waters, in order to cut off the fcent from the 

 dogs, when the huntfmen again endeavour to put them on the track 

 of his foot. After taking to the water, the ftag is fo much exhauft- 

 ed that he is incapable of running much farther, and is foon at bay, 

 or, in other words, turns and defends himfelf againft the hounds. la 

 this fituation he often wounds the dogs, and even the huntfmen, by 

 ■blows with his horns, till one of them cuts his hams to make him 

 ■fall, and then puts a period to his life. The fallow-deer is more de- 

 licate, lefs favage, and approaches nearer to the domeftic ftate than 

 the ftag. The males, during the rutting feafon, make a bellowing 

 noife, but with a low and interrupted voice. They are not fo furi- 

 ous as the ftag. They never depart from their own country in queft 

 of females; but they bravely fight for the pofleffion of their miftref- 

 fes. They aflbciate in herds, which generally keep together. When 

 great numbers are aflembied in one park, they commonly form 

 themfelves into two diftinft troops, which foon become hoftile, be- 

 caufe they are both ambitious of pofleffing the fame part of the in- 

 clofure. Each of thefe troops has its own chief or leader, who al- 

 ways marches foremoft, and he is uniformly the oldeft and ftrongeft 

 of the flock. The others follow him ; and the whole draw up in 

 order of battle, to force the other troop, who obferve the fame con- 

 duct, from the heft pafture. The regularity with which thefe com- 

 bats are conduced is fingular. They make regular attacks, fight 

 t 3 E with 



