Order 8. 



RUMINANTIA. 



125 



Finally, in the genus of Stags, the prominences, covered for a while with a hairy skin like 

 the other parts of the head, have at their base a ring of bony tubercles, which, as they enlarge, 

 compress and obliterate the nutritive vessels of that skin, [commonly termed the velvet^ . It 

 becomes dry, and is thrown off: the bony prominences, being laid bare, at the expiration of 

 a certain period separate from the skull to which they were attached ; they fall, and the 

 animal remains defenceless. Others, however, are reproduced, generally larger than before, 

 which are destined to undergo the same fate. These horns, purely osseous, and subject to 

 periodical changes, are styled antlers. 



The Stags {Cervus, Lin.) — 

 Are consequently ruminants which have heads armed with antlers ; hut, if we except the Rein Deer, 

 the females in no instance possess them, [save in rare individual cases*]. The substance of these 

 antlers, when completely developed, is that of a dense bone without pores or internal cavity : their 

 figure varies greatly according to the species, and even in each species at different ages. These animals 

 are extremely fleet ; live mostly in forests ; and feed on grass, the leaves and buds of trees, &c. 



ITiose species which have antlers either wholly or partially flattened may be first distinguished ; such as — 

 The Elk, or Moose Deer (C. alces, Lin.).— As large as a Horse, and sometimes larger; very high upon the legs ; with 

 a swoln cartilaginous muzzle, and a sort of goitre, or variously shaped pendulous swelling, under the throat ; hair 

 always very stifT, and of an ash-colour, more or less dark. The antlers of the male, at first dagger-shaped, and 

 then divided into narrow slips, assume, at the age of five years, the form of a triangular blade, dentelated on its 

 outer edge, and borne on a pedicle. They increase with age, so as to weigh fifty or sixty pounds, and to have 

 fourteen branches on each horn. The Elk Uves in troops in the marshy forests of the north of both continents, 

 and its skin forms valuable leather. 



The Rein Deer (C. tarandus, Lin.).— Size of a Stag, but with shorter and stouter limbs ; both sexes have antlers, 

 divided into several branches, at first slender and pointed, and finally terminating with age in broad dentelated 

 palms : the hair, brown in summer, becomes almost white in winter. It is peculiar to the glacial regions of both 

 continents, and is the animal so celebrated for the services which it renders to the Laplanders, who have numerous 



herds of them, which in summer they lead to the 

 mountains, and in winter bring back to the plains : 

 it is their only beast of burden and draught, its 

 milk and flesh serve them for food, its hide for 

 clothes, &c. 



The Fallow Deer (C rfama).— Less than the Stag, 

 and blackish-brown in winter, fulvous spotted with 

 white, in summer ; the buttocks always white, bor- 

 dered on each side with black: tail longer than that 

 of the Stag, black above and white below. Tlie horn 

 of the male is round at base, with a pointed antler, 

 and throughout the rest of its length flattened, w ith 

 its outer edge dentelated. After a certain age it 

 shrinks, and splits irregularly into several slips. 

 This species, the Platyceros of the ancients, has be- 

 come common throughout Europe, but appears to 

 havebeenoriginallyfroniBarbary. A blackish variety 

 without spots [even in the fawns] is not unconnuon. 

 The species with round antlers are more nume- 

 rous. Those of temperate climates change colour, 

 more or less, with the seasons. 



The Common Stag, or Red Deer (C. elephax, 

 Lin.).— Fulvous-brown, with a black dorsal line, 

 and on each side of it a series of small pale fulvous 

 spots, in summer ; uniform greyish-brown in win- 

 ter : the crupper and tail pale fulvous at all seasons. 

 It is indigenous to the forests of all Europe, and 

 of the temperate parts of Asia. The antlers of 

 the male are round, and appear in the second year, 

 I ,g. 56 -Kcu uecr. at first dagger-shaped, and then with branches on 



their inner side, which increase m number with age ; they are crowned finally with a sort of palmation, having 



instsDce is recorded of a Doe with only a single horn, resemblinif that 



• There is the head of a female Roe, with antlers, in the Museum of 

 the Royal College of Surgeons. London. Tlie connexion of these 

 defences, however, with the sexual organs is remarkable. They do 

 not grow in emasculated individuals ; and the rutting season imme. 

 diatel^ follows their developement. In Lin. Trans, vol. ii. p. 356, an 



of a three-year-old Buck ; and on dissection, the ovary of the same 

 side was found to be schirrous. After attaining their maximum ol 

 developement, the antlers of these animals decrease, in old age, at 

 each successive renewal. — Ed. 



