MAMMALS OF MINNESOTA. 279 



points. Such cases are called crown-antlers. The first set of 

 antlers are slender spikes called dag- an tiers, and it is rare to 

 find any trace of bifurcation. The second set have brow and 

 bez-tines, and possibly other snags. The third year adds the 

 royal tines, and succeeding pairs vary Considerable, but con- 

 tinue to enlarge many years. These wonderful organs, pro- 

 duced in so incredibly short a time each summer and dropped 

 in autumn or winter, have always attracted much attention. 

 Though so horn-like these appendages were early seen to differ 

 from ordinary horn which is an epidermal excrescence. They 

 are really peculiar bones left exposed to view by the denuda- 

 tion of their original skin-like covering. So much has been 

 written about the antlers and their development that we need 

 not go into details. A very complete general account may be 

 found in Caton's Deer of America, 



The antlers contain more animal matter than ordinary bone, 

 but in most respects the structure is similar. Much obscurity still 

 exists as to the exact physiological explanation of the excite- 

 ment which causes this growth by concentrating the blood at 

 these points. During the period of growth the sensitive cover- 

 ing or velvet is especially vascular and sensitive, but blood is 

 also supplied by the periosteum below and haversian canals. 

 The velvet dies and is peeled voluntarily, but authors disagree 

 as to whether the cessation of the flow of blood is due to the 

 mechanical closing of the vessels passing to the velvet by the 

 growth of the burr at the base, or by a more subtle process. 

 After the velvet is removed, a process more or less painful and 

 attended with loss of blood, the antlers become hard, and the 

 deer sets about polishing the tips by abrasion against tree 

 trunks and among the boughs. The growth of the antler is 

 dependent on the generative organs, at least largely, and cas- 

 tration causes a curious abortion or malformation, also prevent- 

 ing the shedding at the proper time. It is stated that the elk 

 assist each other in the removal of the antlers, and that heaps 

 of these appendages may be found in places where the males 

 have congregated for this purpose. Of the truth of this we can 

 not vouch. The comparative rarity of such relics is accounted 

 for by some one on the ground that mice at once devour them. 

 The eyes of the elk are prominent and expressive, the ears 

 large and very movable, neck short and flexible, tail very short. 

 The summer pelage dirty yellowish-gray upon the body, with 

 chestnut brown head, legs and under parts. In winter the 

 colors are much darker and sexual differences appear, the 



