58 



HOOFED ANIMALS 



or two passes between the fall of the first antler and the loss 

 of the second. The root, or pedicle, exposed is a rough disk 



of bone belonging to 

 the frontal bone of 

 the skull. No blood 

 flows. Dropped ant- 

 lers are sometimes 

 gnawed by rodents 

 until destroyed; but 

 many are picked up 

 by those who look 

 for them. At the end 

 of the first week the 

 bony disk or seat of 

 the antler is covered 



"DO ELK SHED THEIR 

 ANTLERS?" 



An answer from the New York 

 Zoological Park. 



1. March 21. 2. April 8. 



over by the dark- 

 brown skin of the 

 head. At the end of 

 two weeks, a rounded 

 bunch, like a big 

 brown tomato, has 

 risen on the pedicle of 

 each antler. It is soft, 

 full of blood and 

 easily injured. 



Gradually this elongates into the form of a thick, blunt- 

 ended club, in color brown or pink, shiny and thinly covered 



