OF NATURAL HISTORY. 403 



lie, by a great bound, rifes from tbe earth, and, retiring to a fide, 

 lies down flat on his belly. In this immoveable fituation, he often 

 allows the whole pack of his deceived enemies to pafs very near 

 him. The roe-deer differs from the flag in difpofuion, manners, and 

 in almoft every natural habit. Inftead of aflbciating in herds, they 

 live in feparate families. The two parents and the young go to- 

 gether, and never mingle with ftrangers. They are conftant in their 

 amours, and never unfaithful like the ftag. The females common- 

 ly produce two fawns, the one a male and the other a female. Thefe 

 young animals, who are brought up and nouriihed together, acquire 

 a mutual affedion fo ftrong, that they never depart from each other. 

 This attachment is fomeihing more than love ; for, though always 

 in company, they feel the rut but once a year, and it continues only 

 fifteen days. At this period the father drives off the fawns, as if 

 he intended that they fhould yield their place to thofe which are to 

 fucceed, in order to form new families for themfelves. After the 

 rutting feafon, however, is pad, the fawns return to their mother, 

 and continue with her fome time longer; after which they feparate 

 forever, and remove to a diftance from the place of their nativity. 

 When about to bring forth, the female feparates from the male; and, 

 to avoid the wolf, her moft dangerous enemy, conceals herfeif in the 

 deepeft recefles of the foreft. In a week or two the fawns are able 

 to follow her. When threatened with danger, fhe hides them in a 

 clofe thicket ; and, fo ftrong is her parental affedion, that, in order 

 to preferve her offspring from deftrudion, fhe prefents herfeif to be 

 chaced. 



Hares poflefs not, like rabbits, the art of digging retreats In the 

 earth. But they neither want inftind fufficient for their own pre- 

 fervatlon, nor fagacity for efcaping their enemies. They form feats 

 or nefts on the furface of the ground, where they watch, with the 

 moft vigilant attention, the approach of any danger. In order to 



3 E 2 deceive, 



