292 COMMON ROE. 



gracefulness, vivacity, and courage^ He is su- 

 perior in gaiety, neatness, and sprightliness. His 

 figure is more elegant and handsome. His eyes 

 are jnore brilliant and animated. His limbs are 

 more nimble, his movements quicker, and he 

 bounds, seemingly without effort, with equal vi- 

 gor and agility. His coat or hair is always clean, 

 smooth, and glossy. He never wallows in the 

 mire, like the stag. He delights in dry and ele- 

 vated situations where the air is purest. He is 

 likewise more crafty, conceals himself with greater 

 address, is more difficult to trace, and derives su- 

 perior resources from instinct : for though he has 

 the misfortune to leave behind him a stronger 

 scent than the stag, which redoubles the ardour 

 and appetite of the dogs, he knows how to with- 

 draw himself from their pursuit, by the rapi- 

 dity with which he begins his flight, and by 

 his numerous doublings. He delays not his arts 

 of defence till his strength fails him ; but as soon 

 as he finds that the first efforts of a rapid chace 

 have been unsuccessful, he repeatedly returns on 

 his former steps ; and after confounding, by these 

 opposite movements, the direction he has taken, 

 after intermixing the present with the past ema- 

 nations from his body, he rises from the earth by 

 a great bound, and retiring to a side, he lies 

 down flat on his belly, and in this immoveable 

 situation, he allows the whole troop of his de- 

 ceived enemies to pass very near him. 



The Roe differs from the stag and fallow deer 

 in disposition, temperament, manners, and almost 



