UNGULATA. 



593 



horns have one or two " tynes," and so on. The antlers are 

 carried upon the frontal bone, and are produced by a process 

 not at all unlike that by which injuries of osseous structures 

 are made good in man. At first the antlers are covered with a 

 sensitive hairy skin ; but as development proceeds, the vessels 

 of the skin are gradually obliterated, and the skin dies and peels 

 off. In all the Deer there is a sebaceous gland, called the 

 " lachrymal sinus," or " larmier," which is placed beneath each 

 eye, and secretes a strongly-smelling waxy substance. 



The Cemidce are very generally distributed, but no member 

 of the group has hitherto been discovered in either Australia 



Fig. 254. Head of the Red-deer (Cervus elaphus). 



or South Africa, their place in the latter continent seeming to 

 be taken by the nearly-allied Antelopes (distinguished by their 

 hollow horns). 



Very many species of Cervidce are known, and it is not pos- 

 sible to allude to more than two or three of the more familiar 

 and important forms. Three species occur in Britain namely, 

 the Roebuck, Red-deer, and Fallow-deer, the last being a 

 doubtful native. The Roebuck {Capreolus caprcea) was once 

 very generally distributed over Britain, but is almost confined 

 to the wilder parts of Scotland at the present day. It is of 



2 P 



