CrERVIDA. A497 
Now comes the more difficult task of subdividing these sections into 
genera—a subject which has taxed the powers of many naturalists, and 
which is still in a far from perfect state. ‘To all proposed arrangements 
some exception can be taken, and the following system is not free from 
objection, but it is on the whole the most reliable ; and this system is 
founded on the form of the antler, which runs from a single spike, as in 
the South American Coassus, to the many branches of the red deer 
(Cervus elaphas); and all the various changes on which we found genera 
are in successive stages produced in the red deer, which we may accept 
as the highest development; for instance, the stag in its first year 
develops but a single straight “‘beam” antler, when it is calleda 
“‘brocket,” and it is the same asthe South American brocket (Coassis). 
On this being shed the next spring produces a small branch from the 
base of this beam, called the brow antler, which is identical almost with 
the single bifurcated horn of the /urcifer from Chili. The stag is then 
technically known as a “spayad.” In the third year an extra front 
branch is formed, known as the tres-tine. ‘The antler then resembles 
the rusine type, of which our sambar stag is an example. In the 
fourth year the top of the main beam throws out several small tines 
called ‘“ sur-royals,” and the brow antler receives an addition higher up 
called the “ bez-tine.” The animal is then a “staggard.” In the fifth 
year the ‘‘sur-royals”” become more numerous, and the whole’ antler 
heavier in the “stag,” whose next promotion is to that of “ great hart” 
of ten or more points. The finest heads are found in the German 
forests. Sir Victor Brooke alludes to some in the hunting Schloss of 
Moritzburg of the 15th to 17th century, of enormous size, bearing from 
25 to 50 points—so inches round the outside curve, ro inches in 
circumference round the swad/es¢t part of the beam, and of one of which 
the spread between the coronal tines is 74 inches. Professor Garrod 
mentions one as having sixty-six points, and states that Lord Powers- 
court has in his possession a pair with forty-five tines. The deer with 
which we have to deal range from the elaphine, or red deer type, to 
the simple bifurcated antler of the muntjac, which consists of a beam 
and brow antler only. We then come to the rusine type of three points 
only—brow, tres, and royal tines, and of this number are also the 
spotted and hog deer of India, but the arrangement of the tines is 
different ; and following the rusine type comes the rucervine, in which 
the tres and royal tines break out into points—the tres-tine usually 
bifurcate, and the royal with two, three or more points. The arrange- 
ments of the main limbs of the horns is strictly rusine—that is to say, 
the external and anterior tine is equal to or shorter than the royal tine, 
whereas it is the reverse in the axis (spotted deer), and therefore this 
genus should come between the two. Even in the sambar and axis 
there is a tendency to throw out abnormal tines. There are many 
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