Red Deer 



^^3 



carried on the upper branch, and the others on the lower branch oi the spht 

 beam, as in Fig. 46. The beam has, in tact, been split, carrying only the 

 tines proper to the half it represents. In the complete duplication ot the 

 right antler the specimen figured on page 212 appears to be altogether 

 unique. 



Occasionally red deer antlers are found showing a curious spongy 

 structure, accompanied by imperfect development of the beam and tines, as 



Fig. 48. — German Red Deer Antlers, showing spongy maltormatinn. 

 From the Powerscourt Collection. 



in the specimen shown in the accompanying figure, which was purchased 

 at Frankfort by Lord Powerscourt, and belonged to a stag killed in 

 Germany. This type of malformation, vyhich is evidently due to patho- 

 logical conditions, is much less common in red deer antlers than it is in 

 those of the roebuck. 



Some time ago the present writer was asked to tell the age of a red 

 deer from the skull, without the antlers, that is to say, from the evidence 

 of the teeth alone. It is well knou'n that the ages of domesticated sheep 

 and cattle are recognised with ease in this way by experts ; but as there is 



