THEDEERKIND. l^ 



jpens in fpring; the new horns are very painful, and of quick fenfibility'. 

 When the old horn is fallen, the bones of the fkull are bare, being 

 covered only with a tranfparent periofteum, which covers all bones* 

 After a fhort time, this fkin begins to fwell, and forms a foft tumour, 

 containing a great deal of blood, and is gradually covered with a 

 downy fubftance that feels like velvet. This tumogr buds from the 

 point like the graft of a tree ; and, rifing by degrees, ilioots out the 

 antlers on either fide, fo that fpeedily, in proportion to the animal's 

 condition, the head is completed : but at firft is very fofc, and has 

 a fort of bark, which is a continuation or integument of the fkull. 

 It is velveted and downy; every where furnifhed with blood-vellclsy 

 that nourifh the growing horns. As thefe creep along the branches, 

 they imprint the whole furface. The horns begin to harden at botton> 

 while the upper part remains foft, and continues growing. Hence 

 it appears they grow differently from thofe of fheep or cows ; in which 

 they increafe from the bottom. When the whole head has received 

 its full growth, the extremities begin to acquire folidity ; the velvet 

 covering, or bark, with its blood-vcflcls, dry up, and begin to fall j 

 this the animal haftcns and completes, by rubbing its antlers againft 

 every tree. 



If a ftag be caftrated when its horns arc fallen, they will never return ; 

 if when they are on, they will never fall. If partially, he will want the 

 horn on that fide. Plenty or fcarciry of provifion, fatigue and difeafe, 

 greatly affedl the growth of the horns. Itfeldom happens tiiat the branches 

 on both fides fall off together, there being two or thrre days in-er- 

 val. The old (lags ufually fhed their horns firft, the latrcr end of 

 February, or in March ; thofe of the fecond head (between five and 

 fix years old) about the latter end of March j thofe younger, in April ; 

 the youngtrft of all, in May : they generally (hed them in pools of water, 

 and this has given rife to the opinion of their hiding them. 



The horns g^fnerally increafe in thicknefs and in height from the fe- 

 cond year to the eighth, but fee! the impreflions of age, and fhrink like the 

 reft of the body. The horns alfo partake of the nature of the foil; ir^ 

 fertile paftures they are large and tender; in barren f^ils they nre hard, 

 ftunted, and brittle, correfpondent to the ftate of the creature himk-lf. 



When ftags have fhed their horns, they are utterly unable to defernl 

 themfclves. They walk with their heads ftooping, to keep them from 

 ftriking againft the trees above. Thus they continue near three months 

 before their heads acquire their full growth and folidity. About the end 



of 



