186 THE DEER OF AMERICA. 



Dr. Owens' statements on this subject ^ accord more closely 

 with the results which I have obtained than any others which I 

 have met. Still they differ in some very important particulars, 

 but they are mostly founded on experiments not made by him- 

 self ; and I niust say that I think it quite probable, from what is 

 said, that there was much room for error. It is possible, indeed, 

 that a different effect may be produced on some species of deer 

 from that produced on others, but all analogy would render this 

 exceedingly improbable. When it is said that the antler on a 

 castrated specimen has been shed and renewed anrmally as on 

 the perfect animal, a doubt is left whether the animal was really 

 or at least completely castrated ; such we have seen was the in- 

 formation given me by the Lapp as his first impression, but a 

 careful examination showed that he was probably mistaken in 

 his supposition, that castration had no effect on the growth of the 

 antler on the reindeer. We may still doubt whether the oper- 

 ation was complete, or whether the breaking off of the antler 

 near the head, and the growing of a new one from the stump, 

 which as we shall presently see always occurs on the smaller 

 species in this latitude, has not been mistaken for a shedding and 

 renewal of the antler. Long practice and great care, as well as 

 a full appreciation of the distinctive features to be sought for, 

 are indispensable to qualify us to make observations which may 

 be absolutely relied upon. 



My experiments have been tried upon two species only in my 

 own grounds, but they have been numerous, and upon individ- 

 uals of almost every age, and continued through a long course of 

 years. I proceed to results. 



If a deer be castrated at any time after the antlers are so far 

 matured that their velvet may be removed without material in- 

 jury, and while they still firmly occupy their seat, they will inva- 

 riably drop off within thirty days thereafter, though it may be 

 months before the time when they would have been shed in the 

 course of nature. In this case, and also when the operation is 

 performed after the antlers are dropped naturally, in the spring 

 following when the new antlers on the perfect buck commence 

 their growth, the same growth commences on the mutilated ani- 

 mal, and progresses to all external appearance the same as on 

 the perfect animal till they have attained nearly the same size as 

 those which were last cast off. If the buck be a young one with 

 a spike antler, this will be a spike also of nearly the same length. 



1 Comparatii'e Anatomy and Physiology of Vertebrates, vol. iii., p. 631. 



