COMMON ROE. ^95 



live separately in distinct families. In a coppice^ 

 for example, of an hundred acres, there will be 

 one family, or from three to five individuals ; for 

 a female which generally produces two fawns, 

 sometimes brings forth but one, and sometimes, 

 though very rarely, three. In another district, 

 of double the extent, there will be seven or eight; 

 that is, two families ; and I have remarked, that 

 each district always harbours an equal number, 

 except when the winters have been extremely ri- 

 gorous and long ; in which case the whole family 

 is destroyed ; but it is replaced by another the fol- 

 lowing year ; and those districts, for which they 

 have a predilection, are always inhabited nearly by 

 an equal number. It is alledged, however, that in 

 general their number is diminishing. There are 

 whole provinces, it must be acknowledged, in 

 France, where not one of them is to be found. 

 Though common ^ in Scotland, there are none in 

 England. They are very rare in Italy ; and they 

 are now scarcer in Sweden than formerly. But thi^ 

 may have proceeded from the diminution of fo- 

 rests, or from some very severe Avinter, like that 

 of the year 1709, which almost destroyed all the 

 Roes in Burgundy ; so that several years elapsed 

 before the species was recruited. Besides, they 

 are not equally fond of every country ; for, in the 

 same countries, they prefer particular places. They 

 love hills, or plains on the tops of mountains. 



* Not very common; being found only in the northern parts or 

 Highlands. 



