feOE BUCK. 
git 
nothing, in short, that alters their state ; they only 
drive away their fawns upon these occasions ; the 
buck forcing them to retire, in order to make 
room for a succeeding progeny ; however, when 
the season is over, the fawns return to their does, 
and remain with them some time longer ; after 
which, they quit them entirely, in order to begin 
an independent family of their own. The female 
goes with young but five months and a half ; 
which alone serves to distinguish this animal from 
all others of the deer kind, that continue pregnant 
more than eight. In this respect, she rather ap- 
proaches more nearly to the goat kind. 
When the female is ready to bring forth, she 
seeks a retreat in the thickest part of the woods, 
being not less apprehensive of the buck, from 
whom she then separates, than of the wolf, the 
wild cat, and almost every ravenous animal of 
the forest ; she generally produces two at a time, 
and three but very rarely. In about ten or twelve 
days these are able to follow their dam, except in 
cases of warm pursuit, when their strength is not 
equal to the fatigue. Upon such occasions the 
tenderness of the dam is very extraordinary ; leav- 
ing them in the deepest thickets, she offers herself 
to the. danger, flies before the hounds, and doe$ 
all in her power to lead them from the retreat 
where she has lodged her little ones. Such animals 
as are nearly upon her own level, she boldly en- 
counters ; attacks the stag, the wild cat, and even 
the wolf ; and while she has life, continues her 
efforts to protect her young. Yet all her endea- 
vours are often vain ; about the month of May, 
which is her fawning time, there is a greater des- 
truction among those animals than at any other 
season of the year. Numbers of the fawns are 
taken alive by the peasants ; numbers are found 
out, and worried by the dogs ; and still more by 
YOi, It. W f 
