THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
Roe in most of the southern counties of Scotland, and they are plentiful 
in Peeblesshire, Dumfriesshire, and Wigtownshire. 
Roe will frequent the same ground for years, driving off their own sons 
when they have reached an age of two years. To enjoy studying the Roe 
you must get up before dawn and watch the woods and hill -sides they 
frequent, for it is then they cast aside their caution and emerge into the 
little open spaces. Your first intimation of his presence may be the shaking 
of a bramble bush — something is moving in the small branches, and your 
glass tells you it is a roebuck nibbling the tender shoots and leaves. How 
gracefully he stretches his lithe body across the bush tangle and comes 
into view as the sun plays upon his brilliant coat and glistening horns. 
He often stamps and makes quick movements to lick his legs or brush 
off the flies; then, tired of feeding, he arches his back and drops suddenly 
in his bed half hidden in some hole or peat hag. For an hour or two he 
sits dozing and ruminating in peaceful content. Perhaps the sharp bark 
of a rival may make him cock his ears, but he hardly ever moves in his 
bed until hunger again prompts him to rise and feed again. So he will 
pass the greater part of day and evening lying or feeding, according to 
conditions of the weather, and roaming over a very small area of ground. 
Sometimes he dozes all day in a cornfield or amongst rushes, but as night 
approaches he becomes bolder, and gallops out to open glades to chase 
his wife or spar with some young buck in friendly rivalry. Only rarely 
do they fight seriously, and sometimes one of the combatants is killed. 
Some years ago Col. Mclnroy sent me the head of a roebuck which had 
been killed in a fight with another. The victor had driven a brow point 
clean through the skull of the vanquished, where it was broken off and 
remained embedded. 
In July they often lie hidden the whole day, chiefly owing to their dread 
of the flies, which make life a misery to them in this month. I have seen 
Roe dash out of their covert at this season and rush madly about to escape 
their tormentors and then plunge into the midst of the bushes, looking 
wildly round for some means of escape. The roe -fly no doubt gives them 
considerable pain as well as irritation. In August and September they often 
ascend the forests, but not so high as Red deer, and do not seem to like 
wind-swept situations. As winter approaches they draw in from the hills 
to the home coverts, braes and lower pastures, and have a distinct pre- 
ference for young and growing plantations of larch and fir. This makes 
them extremely unpopular with foresters. They scrape beds with their 
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