THE STAG. 11 



Growth of the horns. 



ranee, covered with a thin hairy skin. In their 

 second year the horns are straight and single; 

 the following year produces two antlers, or 

 branches ; and they generally have an additional 

 one every year till their sixth, from which time 

 the animals may be considered at maturity. 

 When the stag sheds his horns, he retires to the 

 most sequestered places, and feeds only during 

 the night ; for otherwise the flies settle on the 

 soft skin of the young horns, which is exqui- 

 sitely tender, and keep the animal in continual 

 torture. The place of the horn is for a little 

 time occupied by a soft tumour, full of blood, 

 and covered with a downy substance, like velvet. 

 This increases every day, till, at length, the ant- 

 lers shoot out on each side. When the horns 

 are at their full growth, they acquire strength 

 and solidity; and the velvet covering dries up, 

 and gradually falls oft", till the whole antlers ac- 

 quire their complete ^xpansion and beauty. 



These animals are gregarious, and feed in 

 herds of many females and their young, headed 

 by one male. So fond are they indeed, of graz- 

 ing in company, that danger or necessity alone 

 can separate them. 



Much has frequently been said, and many 

 wonderful stories related of the extreme longe^ 

 vity of the stag ; but later observations have ren- 

 dered it probable, that this animal does not often 

 attain the age of fifty years. 



The female seldom produces more than one 



