Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/83

 FALLOW DEER FALL EIVER 75 tired from public life. In 1855 he became as- sistant editor of the Correspondent, the lead- ing Catholic review, and took an active part in the violent controversy which that journal, in the name of the moderate section of the Catholic party, sustained against the Univers newspaper. Falloux published on behalf of his friends the pamphlet Le parti catholique. He also took an active part in the Catholic congress held at Mechlin in 1867, and with Mgr. Dupanloup supported the doctrines of the syllabus. Among his later publications are: Mme. Swetchine, sa vie et ses ceuvres (2 vols., 1859) ; La convention du 15 septembre (1864) ; and Lettres inedites de Mme. Swetchine (1866). FALLOW DEER (dama vulgaris), a cervine animal, distinguished from the stag or red deer by its smaller size, spotted coat, and palmated horns. There are two varieties, the one spot- ted, said to be descended from the spotted axis of India, the other deep brown, said to have been introduced into England from Norway by Fallow Deer (Dama vulgaris). James I. It is remarkable that where fallow and red deer are kept together in the same parks, as often in Great Britain, they never as- sociate in companies, much less are ever known to breed in common, but carefully avoid each other, even so far as to shun the places which either species may have chanced to frequent. The bucks of the fallow deer are much smaller than the harts of the red deer, and are easily distinguished by their horns or antlers, which, instead of being round and pointed at the upper extremity, with several forward tines or branch- es, are round only at the base near the head, having a single pair of brow antlers, and a sin- gle pair of anterior points a little higher up the stem, above which the horns spread out into flat palmated surfaces, projecting a little forward snags or processes. The buck during his first year is called a fawn ; the second, a pricket ; the third, a sorrel ; the fourth, a sore ; the fifth, a buck of the first head ; the sixth, a great buck. The fallow deer breed at two years old, and bring forth one, two, or three fawns ; they come to their maturity at three years, and live to about 20. The rutting time of the buck commences about the middle of September, af- ter which he is out of season, his flesh being no longer eatable. He sheds his horns in April or May, and his new ones are fully grown about the end of August. He is in height of season in July. The doe comes into season when the buck goes put, and continues until twelfthtide. She begins to fawn in May, and continues until midsummer. The bucks herd together, and are easy to be tamed, when they become impudently familiar and intimate. The cry of the buck is called braying or grunting, sometimes growling, as that of the hart is termed belling. The fallow deer are kept in England merely as ornaments to park scenery and for supplying venison to the table ; never any longer, as of old, for sporting purposes. The venison is more succulent, tender, and juicy than that of the red deer, and it is not unusual to find the buck, in high season, with three and four inches of fat on the brisket. Yarious pas- tures produce various degrees of excellence in the venison. Where the wild thyme is abun- dant, the flesh is noted for its delicious aromatic flavor ; and it is remarked that the more level and luxuriantly pastured parks of the south of England produce the fattest venison, while those of the north, abounding in broken ground, glens, and knolls, covered with broom and fern, yield it of the highest flavor. So late as the reigns of the Stuart monarch s, shooting the fallow deer with the crossbow, coursing it with greyhounds in the royal parks and chases, and turning it out to hunt with the buckhounds, were royal amusements. The buckhounds are still kept up, and the "master of the buck- hounds" is a high, honorary court office, held by some sporting nobleman ; but they no longer hunt the buck, the hart or stag of the red deer having been for many years substituted for the fallow buck, as being far more cunning, strong- er, fleeter, and capable of supporting longer chases. In many parts of Germany, in Den- mark, Norway, and Sweden, the fallow deer runs wild in the forests, and is strictly preserved for the use of royalty and the territorial nobles. It is usually driven with hounds or beaters, and killed with fowling pieces and buckshot. The height at the shoulders is about 3 ft. The skin affords a valuable leather, and the horns are used for knife handles and similar purposes. FALL RIVER, a city and port of entry of Bristol co., Massachusetts, on Mount Hope bay, an arm of Narragansett bay, at the mouth of Taunton river, 45 m. S. by W. of Boston ; pop. in 1850, 11,524; in 1860, 14,026; in 1870, 26,- 766, of whom 11,478 were foreigners. It is on high ground, with well shaded streets, hand- some churches, and many granite edifices, the stone being obtained from large quarries in the vicinity. It contains two handsome parks, and includes the localities popularly known as
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