402 



THE PHILOSOPHY 



v/ith courage, and never think themfelves vanquiftied by one check j 

 for the battle is daily renewed till the weaker are completely defeat- 

 ed, and obliged to remain in the worft pafture. They love elevated 

 and hilly countries, "When hunted, they run not ftraight out, like 

 the flag, but double, and epdeavour to conceal themfelves from the 

 dcgs by various artifices, and by fubftituting other animals in their 

 place. When fatigued and heated, however, they take the water, 

 but never attempt to crofs fuch large rivers as the flag. Thus, be- 

 tween the chace of the fallow-deer and of the flag, there is no ma- 

 terial difference. Their fagacity and inftindts, their fhifts and doub- 

 lings, are the fame, only they are more frequently pradifed by the 

 fallow-deer. As he runs not fo far before the dogs,^ and is lefs en- 

 terprifing, he has oftener occafion to change, to fubftitute another in 

 hifS place, to double, return upon his former tracks, &c. which ren- 

 ders the hunting of the fallow-deer more fubjedt to inconveniencies 

 than that of the ftag^. 



The roe- deer is inferior to the flag and fallow-deer both in 

 ftrength and ftature ; but he is endowed with more gracefulnefsj 

 courage, and vivacity. His eyes are more brilliant and animated. 

 His limbs are more nimble ; his movements are quicker, and ha 

 bounds with equal vigour and agility. He is likewife more crafty, 

 conceals himfelf with greater addrefs, and derives fuperior refources 

 from his inftinfts. Though he leaves behind him a ftrcnger fcent 

 than the flag, which increafes the ardour of the dogs, he knows how 

 to evade their purfuit, by the rapidity with which he commences his 

 flight, and by his numerous doublings. He delays not his arts of 

 defence till his l^rength begins to fail him ; for he no fooner per- 

 ceives that the firft efforts of a rapid flight have been unfuccefsful, 

 than he repeatedly returns upon his former fteps ; and, after con- 

 founding, by thefe oppofite motions, the diredion he has taken, af- 

 t€r intermixing the prefent with the paft emanations of his body. 



