The gentlemans recreation in two parts : the first being an encyclopedy of the arts and sciences ... the second part treats of horsmanship, hawking, hunting, fowling, fishing, and agriculture : with a short treatise of cock-fighting ... : all which are collected from the most authentick authors, and the many gross errors therein corrected, with great enlargements ... : and for the better explanation thereof, great variety of useful sculptures, as nets, traps, engines, &c. are added for the taking of beasts, fowl and fish : not hitherto published by any : the whole illustrated with about an hundred ornamental and useful sculptures engraven in copper, relating to the several subjects.

In what Season the Stage or Harts Mew, and betake themselves to the Thickets and Solitary places.

IN February and March they Mew, or Cast their Heads, that is, their Horns; and generally the old Ones sooner than the Young, and such that have some Distemper upon them, especially such as have been hurt at Rut, having lost their Pissel or Stones, do never Mew; for if you geld one before he hath an Head, he will never bear Head; and also, if you Geld him when he hath his Head, or Antlier, he will never Cast it; and if you Geld him when he hath a Velvet Head, it will always remain so.

When Harts have Mewed, they betake them∣selves to the Thickets, as aforesaid; but Young Ones do never, until they have born their Third Head, which is in the Fourth year of their Age.

In March and April they begin to thrust forth their Buds, about Mid June their Heads will be Somed, and about the latter end of July, when they find them to dry, they go to the Trees to

Fray their Heads, and to rub off the Velvet, as aforesaid.