RUMINATING ANIMALS. 93 



traordinary circumstance, and is such a deviation from 

 the common course of nature, that it excites our 

 wonder and astonishment." * 



In some of the deer of the tropics, however, the 

 horns of the same original structure appear to be 

 continuous, and do not drop off: this is the case 

 with the Indian Muntjak. In the Cameleopard, 

 again, the frontal prolongations are not surmounted 

 ny any homy substance, but merely with a few strong 

 horny bristles ; and it has been placed at the termi- 

 nation of the Deer, which mostly shed their horns, 

 and the commencement of the Antelopes, which be- 

 gin to have these ornaments of the head of the sub- 

 stance of true horn, having a hollow bony core. In 

 these, and among the Oxen, the structure of the 

 outward covering is in lengthened fibres or laminae 

 cemented together, in a comparatively soft or elastic 

 state while the animal is in life and health, and act- 

 ing as a sheath or defence to the delicate cellular 

 and highly vascular structure of the interior. 



The hoofs are of the same substance with the true 

 horn, and serve simply as a covering and defence to 

 the toes. In some animals, we find variations of struc- 



Sir E. Home's Lectures, i. p. 66. 



