380 Dr. N. Severtzoff on the Mammals of Turkestan. 



mens to a different degree, this not being at all regular or 

 constant. As soon as the animal becomes adult the horns 

 begin to grow more slowly ; and they finish growing earlier 

 than in the red deer, namely after the horns get from twelve 

 to fourteen points, or, at the most, sixteen. Consequently each 

 complete horn possesses one brow-antler, two side branches, 

 and from two to four crown-points. The age of C. maral 

 can be estimated from the horns only up to six or eight years, 

 whilst that of C. elajphus can be ascertained as late as nine 

 or even eleven years. Both these species become adult about 

 the same age, namely five years, with ten branches to the 

 horns. 



The horns of G. maral are subject to numerous and consi- 

 derable variations in different specimens, particularly in the 

 crown — which fully corresponds with the slow growing of the 

 latter. Also the bend of the terminal portion of the beam is 

 variable in its length and directions, as well as the branches of 

 the crown themselves ; still they are constantly further apart 

 from each other than those of G. elaphus. The differences in 

 the lengths of the points seem to me to depend upon the 

 animal's age ; they are veiy considerable, as the length of the 

 crown-points differs from b" upwards to 20^'. If the horn 

 has long crown-points, I have noticed that it is covered 

 all over with numerous, sharp and very prominent ridges, 

 which in themselves give proof that the animal is old. We 

 may therefore say that after six or eight years new points do 

 not develop, but the former ones are reproduced of larger size, 

 but never to the extremes of the length or thickness of the 

 points. 



These extreme limits of the development of the points do 

 not appear without a corresponding shortening of the beam : 

 if the branches are very long, say 21 inches, the beam does not 

 measure above 3| feet ; but if the latter measures 4^ or even 

 4| feet, the antlers do not exceed 15 to 18 inches ; and the 

 short beams, if compared with the long ones belonging to 

 animals equally old, are always thicker. 



The horns of a young G. maral can always be distinguished 

 from those of a young G. elaphus by their immense propor- 

 tions. I have also observed that before the crown is deve- 

 loped the terminal part of the beam is longer than the last 

 antlers, constantly forming a considerable part of the whole 

 horn, viz. about one third, whereas this branch in the horns of 

 G. elaphus does not exceed one fourth. This is the case with 

 specimens which possess from eight to ten tines ; in individuals 

 of six years these proportions are greater, but always present 

 the above-stated characters. 



