42 Account of the 



lopes is called sinus lacrymalis*, it will be necessary, 

 among other circumstances, to examine, with atten- 

 tion, the comparative swiftness of those species of 

 deer and antilopes, which are furnished with, or are 

 destitute of, this structure. Should it be found that 

 the more swift-running species are furnished with it, 

 the notion of its being an additional organ of breath- 

 ing would be rendered more probablef. I do not of- 

 fer this as a new explanation. There is a line in 

 Oppian's fine work on hunting, which would seem to 

 show, that this observing poet had suspected that the 

 subocular sinusses of the deer were of use in respi* 

 ration. 



Tir^Svfxci fivi;, Tr'urvp K ttvoiTxti t'otuMi. 



Quadriftd<£ nares, quadrvfilices ad rcsfiirationcm ccniales. 



Oppianus De Venatione. 

 Lib ii. 1. 181. cum interpret. Conradi Rittershusiif. 



On the outside of each of his hind legs, the Elk has 

 a small vesicle, that contains a thin unctuous matter, 

 which some of our hunters call the " oil." The ve- 

 sicle they designate by the name of the u oil-spring." 

 Of this oil and oil-spring, very extraordinary and im- 

 probable stories are related. The male is said to open 

 the vesicle with his horns, as these begin, to grow. 

 The oil spreading over the young horns, is supposed 



* And sinus subocularis. 



f Dr. Span-man informs us, that the Antilope Oreas, or Indian 

 Antilope of Pennant, is destitute of the sinus iacry?nales. This spe- 

 cies, I find, is a slow runner. Most of the antilopes are animals 

 of great speed. 



} Ljigduni Batavorum : 1597, 



