174 



CERVIMS. MAMMALIA.- 



is effected, the ossification proceeds from the centre to 

 the circumference, and a medullary cavity is ultimately 

 produced. While this is taking place, a corresponding 

 change is observed at the surface. The periostea] 

 veins acquire an enormous size, and by their presence 

 occasion the formation of grooves on the subjacent 

 bone. At the same time osseous tubercles of ivory 

 hardness appear at the base of the stem; these coalesce 

 by degrees, and inclose within their folds the great 

 superficial vascular trunks, whiph are thus rendered 

 impervious. The supply of nutriment being thus cut 

 off, the first stage of exuviation is accomplished by the 

 consequent shrivelling up and decay of the periosteal 

 and integumentary envelopes. The full growth of the 

 horns is now consummated, and the animals being 

 aware oi then- strength, endeavour to complete the 

 desquamation by rubbing them against any hard sub- 

 stances which may lie in their path. This action is 

 technically termed " burnishing." After the rutting 

 season, the horns are shed, to be again renewed in the 

 ensuing spring; and every year they become more 

 perfect, as represented in the accompanying woodcut, 

 fig. 63. The letter references respectively indicate the 



Fig. 63- 



Development of the horns of the Red Deer. 



several stages of development following upon that of 

 the second year, in which the horn has the form of 

 a simple unbranched stem, a. Like the antelopes, the 

 stags are very swift of foot; but most of them live 

 within, or in the immediate neighbourhood of large 

 forests, browsing on grass, leaves, various herbs, and the 

 shoots of young trees. Fossil remains of deer are very 

 numerous both in tertiary and recent formations; those 

 of the Bramatherium and Sivatherium discovered by 

 Dr. Falkener in the Sivalik hills of Northern India, 

 showing that in former times some members of. this 

 family attained the most gigantic proportions. 



THE ELK (Alces Malchis), or MOOSE-DEER Plate 

 21, fig. 71 is an inhabitant of the northern regions of 

 both hemispheres. It is a large and ungainly-looking 

 animal, standing about six feet at the shoulders, and 

 furnished with massive .palmated horns, which occa- 

 sionally weigh upwards of sixty pounds, and spread 

 out laterally over a space six feet in width. The head 

 alone measures upwards of two feet from the tip of the 

 muzzle to the occiput, the nose being hairy and swollen 

 out at the upper border. The eyes are small, the ears 

 long, the neck provided with a coarse mane, the body 

 short and rounded, and the tail only three or four inches 



in length. The fur is very coarse, rough, and wiry. 

 Respecting the habits of the Elk, we may observe that 

 it is naturally very timid, and when taken young is 

 easily domesticated. Its movements look awkward as 

 it glides along in a kind of shuffling, ambling trot, but 

 when severely pressed it gallops with great rapidity. 

 During the warm season it is gregarious and frequents 

 low swampy grounds, often taking the water, through 

 which it swims with marked facility ; resorting in cold 

 weather to sheltered forests. The flesh of the Elk is 

 highly esteemed, and the hide extremely valuable. 



THE REIN-DEER (Tarandus Rangifer), or CARI- 

 BOW Plate 22, fig. 72 is a native of the most north- 

 erly districts of both hemispheres ; being an animal of 

 the utmost importance to the inhabitants of those icy 

 regions. Space would fail us were we to enter minutely 

 into a consideration of the various purposes to which 

 this thoroughly domesticated species is applied ; or if, 

 on the other hand, we attempted to clear up the dis- 

 puted point as to whether the North American and 

 Lapland forms are one and the same species or entirely 

 distinct ; those who are interested in this question should 

 consult Mr. Andrew Murray's Memoir, published in 

 the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal for 1858. 

 The Rein-deer is furnished with cylindrical horns, and 

 on account of the great variety of shape which the 

 branches assume, any attempt to establish specific dis- 

 tinctions, merely on the characters of the antlers, must 

 necessarily be attended with difficulty. The habits of 

 these animals are too well known to be here described 

 at any length. Elks undertake extensive migrations at 

 different seasons, with the view of obtaining a constant 

 supply of food, which consists, for the most part, of 

 various species of lichen. The females are provided 

 with four mamma?, two of which are spurious ; they 

 also support a pair of slender horns, very closely resem- 

 bling those of the male. 



THE WAPITI (Cervus Canadensis), or GREY MOOSE, 



a large North American deer, standing about four 

 feet six inches at the shoulders. The horns are cylin- 

 drical, and weigh about thirty pounds. The fur is 

 reddish-brown ; the hair on the throat of the male 

 being much elongated, and the rump in both sexes 

 marked by a patch of light-coloured hairs, bordered 

 on either side with a blackish streak. The Wapiti is 

 a stupid creature, gregarious in its habits, and often 

 utters a peculiar shrill cry, which, like a donkey's bray- 

 ing, is stated to be particularly disagreeable. Its flesh 

 is coarse and insipid. 



THE RED DEER (Cervus Elaphus), or COMMON 

 STAG, is a native of the more temperate regions of 

 Europe and Asia, and though not so abundant in this 

 country as in former days when the chase was the 

 peculiar delight of English noblemen yet it is still 

 sufficiently cared for in the wilds of Scotland and the 

 western isles, where the deer-stalker enjoys his health- 

 ful and exciting sport. The fur of the stag exhibits a 

 fulvous-brown hue generally, the rump being marked 

 by a pale patch on either side of the short, stumpy tail, 

 which is also of a light colour ; in the fawn the hide is 

 marked with whitish spots. The period of gestation 

 n the hind extends over eight months, the young 

 jeing produced in the month of May. During the 



