354 THE ZOOLOGIST, 



With the Eed-deer, as a rule, the horns begin to appear at 

 the age of about seven months, when two small protuberances 

 are perceptible; and gradually, in the second year, straight 

 pointed horns shoot forth. About the beginning of April, before 

 the animal is quite two years old, these loosen at the root and 

 drop off. In the course of the summer another horn grows up 

 with a "tine" issuing from it in a downward curve towards the 

 eyes; a year later an additional "tine" is seen on each horn, 

 and from year to year, should no accident occur, the antlers, 

 which in summer time shoot up anew to replace the old ones, 

 increase in size and weight until the animal is six years old, 

 after which, it is believed, no material alteration takes place ; 

 in other words, a deer will carry as fine a head at six years old 

 as he is ever likely to have. 



This is a brief summary of what takes place in regard to the 

 casting and reproduction of the horns, so far as has been ascer- 

 tained by the observation of sportsmen and foresters. 



The great drawback in ascertaining very precisely what 

 occurs is the difficulty of keeping the same animal under observa- 

 tion for any length of time. For unless it has some peculiarity 

 about it which will always serve to distinguish it amongst its 

 fellows, or unless it be specially marked or isolated in confine- 

 ment, it is certain to escape recognition the following year ; the 

 more so because the change which by that time will have taken 

 place in the growth of the antlers will have materially altered its 

 appearance. 



Some years ago Mr. J. Clarke, surgeon, of Lynton, being 

 anxious to settle certain points in connection with the growth of 

 deer-horns, upon which a difference of opinion prevailed, con- 

 ceived the idea of keeping a solitary Red-deer in a paddock under 

 his own immediate supervision, and making regular observations 

 upon it until it reached the condition of a fully grown adult 

 animal. 



This he carried out, and subsequently published the result 

 of his observations in a small pamphlet, which was printed at 

 Barnstaple in 1866.* As this pamphlet is now out of print, 

 and unprocurable, it will doubtless be of service to naturalists to 



" ' A Treatise on the Growth of the Horns of the Red-deer.' By J. Clarke, 

 Lynton. Post 8vo, pp. 12. Barnstaple : A. C. Wood. 1866. 



