The Bighorn and the Antelope. 155 



cast-off horn we shall see that it extends but about half-way its length, or a 

 little way above the'prong; and we shall also see that it contains a large 

 number of coarse, lightish coloured hairs, all of which are firmly attached to 

 the horn, and many of them, towards the lower part, passing quite through 

 it. We see the core of the horn is covered with a thick vascular skin, 

 which is pretty well covered with the same kind of hairs as those seen in 

 the cavity of the horn. We now appreciate that these hairs grew from the 

 skin, and more or less penetrated the shell or horn ; and, when this was 

 removed, some were torn from the skin, and others from the horn. Now 



HEAD OF PKONGBUCK IMMEDIATELY AFTER SHEDDING THE OLD HORNS. 



it is perfectly manifest that, as the new horn was extended in length above 

 ihe core, it must have carried with it the old horn, which it detached from 

 the core, and tearing out the hairs, the roots of which were in the skin, and 

 many of which extended into or through the old horn. Until these were 

 mostly torn asunder, or were withdrawn from the canals by which they 

 had penetrated the shell, they served to prevent it from being easily lost ; 

 but finally, when these were all, or nearly all severed, it fell off as a 

 favourable position occurred, or some slight violence assisted the removal. 



If any further evidence were wanting, it may be found in the 

 remarks of the late Mr. W. A. Forbes, prosector to the Zoological 



