286 BULLETIN NO. VII. 



new horn was extended several inches above the top of the 

 core, nearly in a vertical direction, although with a slightly 

 posterior inclination. The top of this, for nearly half an inch, 

 is already hardened into perfect horn. Below this it is softer, and 

 a little way down it has lost its horny texture, but is a pretty 

 firm and somewhat flexible mass down to the core and around 

 it, at the upper part of which, however, it has rather the ap- 

 pearance of a thick massive skin, of a high temperature, show- 

 ing great activity in the blood-vessels permeating it. As we 

 pass lower down, the skin is thinner, and shows less excite- 

 ment or activity. Upon this skin enveloping the core, we find 

 the hairs already described. " 



"This was the condition of the new development when the 

 old horn was cast off. It shows that the new horn had al 

 ready made considerable upward growth from the top of the 

 core, which only extended up into the old horn a little distance 

 above the snag, or about half its length ; all above this, of the 

 old horn, was solid; and was not intersected by the hairs as it 

 was below." 



"Now it is perfectly manifest that as the horn was extended 

 in length above the 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 ex- 

 tended into or through the old horn. * * * I have never 

 observed the animal to assist this process by rubbing its horns 

 against convenient objects, but my opportunities have not been 

 such as to authorize the statement that they do not sometimes 

 do so." 



' ' When the old horn was cast off, the new one, as we have 

 already seen, had made a considerable growth above the core, 

 which was already tipped with perfect horn." * * * 



1 'By the latter part of winter, on the adult, the horn has at- 

 tained about this stage of growth. From this it presses on, 

 hardening in its downward growth till the latter part of sum- 

 mer, or the commencement of the rut, by which time the growth 

 is protected down to the base, and is a complete weapon for 

 warfare, and it so continues during the rut, and until the growth 

 of the new horn is commenced and loosens the old one from its 

 core, and raises it from its seat as has been described." The 

 Antelope and Deer of America. J. D. Caton. 



It is uncecessary to add that the horn core is true bone, 

 clothed with its periost, and this part of the horn is as per- 

 manent as in other hollow-horned ruminants. The cutaneous 



