THE DEER FAMILY 343 



elastic step, and animated expression. Unlike the antelopes, 

 the Deer are never found in desert regions : they are chiefly 

 inhabitants of grass jungles and forests. They are very 

 widely distributed, being found in Europe, Asia, and 

 America ; in Africa they are restricted to the North, and in 

 America the species are fewer than in the Old World. 



Some of the Deer are among the noblest animals on 

 earth ; their limbs are slender, strong, and sinewy, usually 

 fitted with well-developed lateral hoofs ; their necks are 

 tapering and swanlike ; their heads are held high, and 

 the males are almost invariably garnished with antlers. 

 There is considerable variety of colouring in the coats of 

 Deer, different shades of brown predominating. With the 

 exception of a very few species, the Elk, Reindeer, and 

 Sambar among them, nearly all young Deer have their 

 coats spotted with white, or else horizontal stripes of the 

 same colour. In a few cases these markings remain as a 

 permanent adornment, and in others the variation reappears 

 only at more or less regular periods. 



In very many particulars the Deer follow pretty closely 

 the Hollow-horned Ruminants, but on account of their 

 antlers the males of the former, at least, are easily distin- 

 guished from the other Ruminants, the single exception 

 being provided by the female Reindeer, which is antlered 

 like the male animal. 



Antlers differ widely from horns in their composition, 

 consisting of genuine bone, solid throughout, generally 

 more or less branched, and cast every year. 



The production, loss, and renewal of the antlers of the 

 Deer are among the most remarkable wonders of animal 

 physiology. Upon the young animal's skull, covered by 

 nearly smooth dark skin, are two slight protuberances, the 

 foundations whence future antlers are to arise. In spring 

 the skin around the knobs upon the forehead becomes hot 

 and swollen, owing to a large quantity of blood being 

 directed to the spot. The arteries and veins of the skin 

 become greatly enlarged and deposit bony matter on the 

 skull with great rapidity. The young antler, still enveloped 

 in skin, which is called the ' velvet/ grows quickly, the 

 arteries and veins following its course (Plate XXXVI.). 



