16 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



forms the main branch of the antler, while the other 

 is the first prong or tine. The main beam continues 

 to grow and bifurcate until the form of the antler 

 with its many branches is completed, which occurs 

 about the last of August. This is a wonderful 

 growth when it is remembered that the antlers of the 

 elk and moose sometimes attain the weight of fifty or 

 sixty pounds. While growing, the antlers, especially 

 the growing ends, are very tender, and can be 

 whittled with a knife almost as easily as a green 

 cucumber. As it approaches the base the antler be- 

 comes hard and bony in its structure. About the 

 time the leaves of the trees have reached their growth 

 and have ripened, the antlers have also reached their 

 growth and are ripe, as it were. They are now very 

 hard, and although covered with the velvet skin, it 

 does not take long for the bucks to rub them clean 

 by raking them up and down against the trees and 

 bushes and whipping and threshing around in the 

 underbrush. After the velvet has been removed this 

 whipping and threshing process is continued until 

 the antlers are very hard and bear a fine polish. 

 The natural color is white, but this continued rub- 

 bing in the dirt and against the bark and leaves of 

 trees gives them a brown color, as seen on the deer 

 killed in the forest." 



"Well, what is the use of the antlers, anyway?" 

 asked Dick. " They get their growth and then are 

 shed again in a few weeks." 



" I think a buck without antlers would not be in 

 style," was the reply. " The antlers are weapons of 

 warfare with other bucks, and add much to the at- 



