80 Mr. J. E. Harting on Forest Animals. 



together, the danger aUuded to by Markliam having been 

 proved to be exaggerated, if not without foundation." 



The different appearance presented by the stags of the 

 two species is very marked, owing to the entirely different 

 character of their antlers. Those of the red-deer are 

 round, rough and tapering, with three tines directed for- 

 ward (the broiv, bez and ivyal antlers), and the cujj or croion 

 of three or more points at the end ; those of the fallow- 

 deer are smooth and palmated with only tw^o anterior tines 

 (a third being of rare occurrence), and with the hinder 

 margin of the flattened portion of the beam notched so as 

 to form an indefinite number of points. The horns begin 

 to appear at the age of about seven months, when two 

 small protuberances are perceptible ; and gradually in the 

 second year straight pointed horns shoot forth. About the 

 beginning of xVpril, before the animal is quite two years 

 old, these fall off at the very root. In the course of the 

 summer another horn grows up, and a broad antler issues 

 from it in a downw^ard curve towards the eyes. At this 

 stage the deer is termed a brocket. A year later an addi- 

 tional point is seen on each horn, and the animal is then 

 known as a staggard. When another year has passed 

 each main stem is termed the beam, and the whole together 

 is worthy the name of "antler." The animal is now a 

 stag. From year to year, should no accident occur, the 

 antlers, which in summer time shoot up anew to replace 

 the old ones, increase in regular gradation and size and 

 branching magnificence, and when each beam bears three 

 anterior tines the animal is called a hart royal.\ 



This casting and reproduction of the horn, growing 

 plant-like on the living animal, is one of the most won- 

 derful phenomena in natural history. It is so curious and 

 wonderful that it would be regarded as a fable were it 

 related of a creature in a distant land which none of us 

 had ever seen. And though the stag is a native of this 

 country, there are probably thousands at the present day 

 w^ho have no correct knowledge of the process. They have 



* Shirley, " English Deer Parks," p. 236. 

 t Boner, " Forest Creatures," pp. 58, 59. 



