124 DEER. 



ed for its production. The animal now appears in 

 all its majesty, prepared for the battle, and con- 

 tinues thus for a season, when the horns are again 

 shed, and he is obliged to skulk in the recesses of 

 the forest until they are again replaced. 



The senses of hearing and smelling are both very 

 acute in this group, and it is almost impossible to ap- 

 proach a herd of Deer down the wind. They are 

 very nice in the choice of their food, and will not 

 touch that which has been handled or touched by 

 any foreign substance. They inhabit the forest or 

 the plain, and in various forms extend from the poles 

 to the warmest regions of the world. 



In many of them there is a suborbital sinus, or 

 an opening placed below the eye, and called by the 

 French " Larmiers? This is sometimes only indi- 

 cated by an open or fold, but in others is of a consi- 

 derable size, and was thought to communicate with 

 the nostrils, and to assist in maintaining the respira- 

 tion during great exertion or swiftness. It seems, 

 however, that the communication exists only through 

 the puncta lachrymalia, and that this opening is con- 

 nected only with a glandular apparatus a peculiar 

 secretion being largely exuded from them by many 

 species. 



The flesh of many is used as food, and much es- 

 teemed under the name of Venison ; and strong and 

 lasting leather is made from their skins. We shall 

 6rst notice the Elks. 



