20 
MAMMALIA. 
mammals, and their graceful and sprightly movements cannot fail to 
elicit admiration. 
The clear white spots are set in a ground of rich bay, and the con- 
trast is heightened, to use the language of Judge Caton, by the animal’s 
“ exceedingly bright eye, erect attitude, elastic movement, and viva- 
cious appearance. . . . The highest perfection of graceful motion 
is seen in the fawn of but a month or two old, after it has commenced 
following its mother through the grounds. It is naturally very timid, 
and is alarmed at the sight of man, and when it sees its dam go bold- 
ly up to him and take food from his hand it manifests both appre- 
hension and surprise, and sometimes something akin to displeasure. 
I have seen one standing a few rods away, face me boldly and stamp 
his little foot, in a fierce and threatening way, as if he would say : 1 If 
you hurt my mother I will avenge the insult on the spot.’ Ordi- 
narily it will stand with its head elevated to the utmost; its ears erect 
and projecting somewhat forward; its eye hashing, and raise one 
fore foot and suspend it for a few moments, and then trot off and 
around at a safe distance with a. measured pace, which is not flight, 
and with a grace and elasticity which must be seen to be appreciated, 
for it quite defies verbal description. A foot is raised from the 
ground so quickly that you hardly see it, it seems poised in the air 
for an instant and is then so quietly and even tenderly dropped, and 
again so instantly raised that you are in doubt whether it even 
touched the ground, and. if it did, you are sure it would not crush 
the violet on which it fell.”* 
Fawns are readily tamed, in fact become tame of themselves, if much 
handled, in an astonishingly short time; and I have known one to follow 
its keeper, and even bleat for him, when out of sight, within three or 
four days after its capture. At this tender age they display neither 
v 
judgment nor common sense in the selection of food, devouring al- 
most anything that falls in their way which they are able to swallow. 
* Antelope and Deer of America, p. 155. 
