THE EUMl^STANT OEDEE. 301 



In the early part of September a great change takes phace in 

 the Stag's characteristics and ways of life, for the breeding season 

 has arrived. Then he ranges the wood, uttering a deep guttural 

 bellowing, seeking the females, and bidding defiance to his own 

 sex. Excited, and almost furious, he rushes hither and thither 

 with a wild air, tearing up the ground impatiently with his feet, 

 dashing his head against the bushes and with violence scattering 

 the foliage. Now he appears to have lost all sense of danger, 

 for, contrary to his usual habits, if any suspicious object appears, 

 he runs at it. At length the Stag assembles round him several 

 Hinds and forms a seraglio, of which he becomes exclusive master, 

 watching over its members with anxious jealousy. If a rival 

 happen to appear, a combat d outrance immediately takes place. 

 The two adversaries rush impetuously one against the other ; 

 on their feet and knees they fight ; long and obstinate are such 

 battles ; wounds are given and received, and blows are parried 

 with consummate skill. Sometimes their antlers get entangled 

 to that extent that they are unable to separate. Fastened 

 together, the two heroes strive in vain to disentangle themselves, 

 and some of these hostile couples, thus closely riveted together, 

 tdtimately perish of famine. When the duel is ended, by the 

 death or flight of one of the champions, the conqueror remains 

 master of the seraglio, until a competitor drives him away and 

 assumes possession of all his privileges. 



After two or three weeks of this life of excitement and fatigue, 

 additionally aggravated by scantiness of food and the want of 

 sleep, the Stag is thoroughly enfeebled. He then retires into soli- 

 tude, to restore his exhausted strength. Eut the season is now so 

 far advanced, that it is not before spring that he thoroughly 

 recovers his former condition. 



The Hind goes eight months with young. In May she brings 

 forth, in a thicket, one Fawn, very rarely two, the body of which 

 is covered with white spots on a yellow groimd. At six months 

 old the yoimg change their appearance, and the rudiments of the 

 antlers appear. In about a year, the dags having shot out, the 

 knobber becomes a hrock. At the commencement of the third 

 year the second crop of horns begin to rise, with indications 

 of branching, or, in terms of venery, it begins to show a head. 

 The Stag produces every year a new head of horns, and its age is 



