Page:The Works of William Harvey (part 1 of 2).djvu/575

 they produce in the ninth month after they have taken the buck.

At the rutting season the bucks herd with the does ; at other times they keep severally apart, the males, particularly the older ones, associating together, and the females and younger males trooping and feeding in company. The rutting season lasts for a whole month, and it begins later if the wea- ther have been dry, earlier if it have been wet. In Spain, as I am informed, the deer are hardly in rut before the begin- ning of October, wet weather not usually setting in there until this time ; but with us the rutting season rarely continues be- yond the middle of October.

At this time deer are rendered savage by desire, so that they will attack both dogs and men, although at other seasons they are so timid and peaceable, and immediately betake them- selves to flight on the barking of even the smallest dog.

Every male knows all his own females, nor will he suffer any one of them to wander from his herd : with a run he speedily drives back any straggler ; he walks jealously from time to time among his wives; looks circumspectly about him, and the careful guardian of his own, he shows himself the watchful sentinel. If a strange doe commit any offence, he does not pursue her very eagerly, but rather suffers her to get away ; but if another buck approach he instantly runs to meet him, and gives him battle with his antlers.

The hind and doe are held among the number of the chaster animals ; they suffer the addresses of the male reluct- antly, who, like the bull, mounts with violence, and unless forced or tired out, they resist him ; which disinclination of the females appears also to be the reason of their herding together, and confining themselves to their own males, who are always the older and better armed ; for when any strange male approaches them they immediately take to flight, and seek refuge in their own herd, and protection to their chastity, as it seems, from their proper husband.

If a younger male finds a female straying alone, he imme- diately pursues her, and when she is worn out and unable to fly farther he mounts and forces her to his pleasure.

The males all provide themselves what are called rutting places ; that is to say, they dig a trench, or they take their