DEEE-STALKING. 11 



shew a horn ha\dng twenty-eight antlers ; while 

 Cuvier gives instances where a horn has had sixty- 

 two, and another sixty-three antlers. Colossal branches 

 are frequently found also in the Irish bogs ; indeed, 

 the wilds around the famed lakes of Killamey pro- 

 bably contain the finest family of red deer to be met 

 with in the British islands. 



About the beginning of April the stag sheds his 

 horns — a process which commences according to the 

 animal's age; the young often carry their head till 

 autumn. According to Mr. Scrope, the modem Eobin 

 Hood, — " they cany their horns as long as the hind 

 carries her fawn, that is to say, eight months. Both 

 horns do not necessarily fall at the same time ; a day 

 or two, or even more, occasionally intervene. Soon 

 after the old horn has fallen off, a soft tumour begins 

 to appear, which is quickly covered "^ith a down-like 

 leaden-colom'ed velvet. This tumour is seen every 

 day to increase, like the graft of a tree, and, rising 

 by degrees, shoots out the antlers on each side. The 

 skin remains to cover it for some time, and it con- 

 tmues to be furnished with blood-vessels, which 

 supply the gro\ring horns with nomishment, and 

 occasion the furrows observable in them, when that 

 covering is stripped off. The impression is deeper 

 at the bottom, where the vessels are larger, and 

 diminishes towards the point, where they are smooth. 

 When the horas are at their full growth they acquire 

 strength and solidity, and the velvet covering, or 

 skin, ^^ith its blood-vessels, dries up, and begins to 



