DEE 
DEE 
over all parts of the globe. The continent of 
America, in which neither the fheep, the goat, 
nor the antelope, have been originally bred, never- 
thelefs produced Stags, and other animals of the 
Deer kind, in abundance. The Mexicans have a 
breed of white Stags in their parks, which, ac- 
cording to Buffon, are called Stags-royal. The 
Canadian Stags differ principally from thole of 
Europe in having larger horns 3 and alfo in the di- 
recflion of their antlers, which rather revert tlian 
proie£l forwards. The fame difference of fize 
which is obfervable among our Stags, is alio to be 
traced in thofe of the American continent; and, 
if we may credit Ruyfch, the natives have reduced 
them to the fame degree of tamenefs tliat we have 
our fheep, goats, and black cattle : they fend them 
forth in the morning to feed in the forefts; and at 
the approach of night they are brought home again 
by thofe herdfmen who have fuperintended them 
during the day; and the inhabitants depend folely 
on the hind for their necefTary fupply of milk and 
cheefe. Thus we fee that an animal which appears 
to be formed only for the amufement of man, may 
with facility be brought to fupply his necefTuies. 
Deer, Fallow. The Fallow-Deer and the 
Stag are as nearly allied as any two animals can pof- 
fibly be. Alike in fliape, difpofition, fleetnds, 
timidity, and the fuperb furniture of their heads, . 
it might naturally be conjedured that they afib- 
ciated together; and yet no two animals avoid each 
other with more rooted averfion : they never herd 
in the fame place ; they never engender together, 
or form a mixed breed ; and, even in thofe coun- 
tries where Stags abound, the buck feems to be an 
utter flranger. In fhort, they form two diflinft 
families, which, though lb leemingly conjoined, 
are neverthelefs very remote ; and, though endowed 
with the fame habitudes, retain a fixed animo- 
fity. 
As Fallow-Deer are much fmaller, fo they are 
of a lefs robufl and favage nature than thofe of the 
ftag kind. They are feldom found wild in fo- 
refts; but are generally bred up in parks, where 
they are either kept for the purpofes of hunting or 
luxury, their flefh being greatly preferable to that 
of any other animal. Their horns are broad and 
palmated at their extremities, pointing a little for- 
ward, and branched on their hinder Tides; they 
have two fharp and flender brow-tintlers, and, above 
them, two fmall flender branches; whereas the 
horns of the ftag are round in every part : in the 
one animal they are flatted and fpread like the palm 
of the hand ; and, in the other, they grow like a 
tree, every branch being fhaped like the ftem 
which fupports it. The colour of the Fallow- 
Deer is more various than that of the ftag, and 
it's tail is longer; but, in other refpefls, the affinity 
is very clofe. 
The horns of the buck, like thofe of all other 
animals of this genus, are fhed annually, and re- 
paired in the ufual fpace of time: this change, 
however, happens later with refpedl to the buck, 
and confequently his rutting- feafon approaches 
nearer to the winter. At that period he is much 
lefs furious than the ftag; nor does he exhauft 
himielf fo much through the violence of his ar- 
dour. He never quits his natural paftures in 
queft of the females, nor attacks other animals with 
indifcriminate rage: hovi^ever, the males frequently 
combat with each other for the pofTefTion of the 
females; and it is not till after repeated confti6ls 
that one buck obtains the fovereignty of the whole 
band. A herd of Fallow-Deer is often obferved 
to divide into two parties, and to engage each 
other with great ardour and obftinacy, as if ambi- 
tious of fecuring fome favourite fpot of pafturage, 
and of driving the vanquifhed party into the 
coarfer and m.ore fterile parts. Thefe faftions are 
headed by their refpedtive chiefs, which are ufu- 
ally the two oldeft and ftrongeft of the herd; and 
thefe leaders always begin the engaganent, the reft 
fighting under their direftion. From the difpofi- 
tion and conduft which appear to regulate their 
mutual efforts, thefe combatants are no inconfide- 
rable objeds of curiofity: they attack each other 
in tiie greateft order, retire, rally, mutually afford 
their affiftance, and never yield the viftory on a 
fingle defeat; and fuch contefts are generally re- 
nev/cd for feveral days fucceffively, till one of the 
parties is obliged to give v/ay, and to retreat to 
ilich a fituation as is moft likely to afford them 
fafety and protection , 
The Fallow-Deer is eafily domefticated, and 
feeds on many articles which the ftag refufes; by 
which means he prcfcives his venifon better; and, 
even after rutting, does not appear entirely ex- 
haulled. He continues nearly in the fame ftate 
through the whole year, though there are particu- 
lar feaibns in which his flefh is chiefly in efteem. 
This animal browfes much clofer than the ftag; 
for wdiich reafon he is more prejudicial among 
young trees, which he often ftrips too clofely for 
recovery. The young Deer eat much quicker, 
and with more eagernefs, than the old ; they feek 
the females at their fecond year; and, like the ftag, 
are fond of variety. The doe, like the hind, goes 
with young above eight months, and commonly 
brings forth one at a time; but the two fpecies 
differ in this circumftance, namely, that the buck 
arrives to perfedlion at his third year, and lives till 
his fixteenth; whereas the ftag does not come to 
maturity till his feventh year, and lives till his for- 
tieth. 
Hunters have invented various names for the 
buck. In his firft year he is called a fawn-, in his 
fecond, 2. ■pricket ; in his third, a ford; in his fourth, 
z fore; in his fifth, a buck of the firji head; and, in 
his fixth, a great buck. The female, (the doe) in 
her firft year, is called a fawn j and, in her fecond. 
The buck is hunted pretty much in the fame 
manner as the ftag, except that a lefs degree of fkill 
is necefTary with refpeft to the former than the lat- 
ter. He is rouled with more facility ; and a fuf- 
ficient judgment may be formed by the view and 
mark, as to what grove or covert he enters, becaufe 
he feldom wanders from thence in order to change 
his layer or place of repofe. When clofely pur- 
fued, he makes towards fome ftrong hold or thicket 
with which he is acquainted, either in the more 
fhady parts of a wood, or the fteep of fome moun- 
tain; nor does he fly far before the hounds, nor 
crofs and double like the ftag: he will take the 
water, however, when reduced to extremity, but he 
can neither fwim fo long nor fo fwiftly as that ani- 
mal. Indeed, the ftrength, cunning, and cou- 
rage, of the buck, are much inferior to thofe of the 
ftag; and confequently he affords neither fo long, 
fo various, nor fo obftinate a chace: befides, being 
much lighter, he leaves a fainter impreffion, as well 
as lefs powerful fcent; and the dogs in parfuit are 
frequently at a fault. 
The buck being a more delicate animal than 
the ftag, he is fubjed to greater varieties. In 
England, 
