ON THE GROWTH OF DEER-HORNS. 359 



for in my opinion this cross will always continue to be more or less marked, 

 just as various marks may be seen in sheep and cattle, when the breed has 

 been crossed. Does it not tend to prove it is the natural disposition of the 

 animal? Surely it cannot be said it is owing to his keep or pasturage, or 

 age ; for as I have before stated, the number of antlers which a stag has in 

 his second year, continues throughout the growth of the horns, and the 

 ones he is then deficient of he never regains; so that if he has his ' brow,' 

 'bay,' and 'tray,' they will continue to be developed in the same manner, 

 though there may be some slight variations in them, and possibly in each 

 of them. If he has only his ' brow ' and ' bay,' he never gets a ' tray,' nor 

 does he get a 'bay' if he had only had ' brow ' and 'tray' in his second 

 year : this I believe to be strictly correct as far as my observations have 

 been carried. 



" Having said thus much as regards a stag's head, horns, &c., I feel 

 bound to bestow my humble meed of praise on the present pack of stag- 

 hounds latterly hunting the counties of Devon and Somerset, and also to 

 add that the greatest credit is due both to Babbage the huntsman and 

 Arthur the whip for the command which they have over their hounds, and 

 likewise for the manner of hunting them. Indeed it is a sight worth riding 

 miles to witness ; and in conclusion I wish them health and strength, with 

 plenty of deer, and support for many years to come. 



" I certainly differ from some who fancy the Red-deer must soon l)e 

 exterminated, for I believe if the landed proprietors in Devon and Somerset 

 would unite and fence off certain portions of waste land, together with 

 sufficient quantities of woodland and plantations where the deer may be 

 harboured, and not disturbed by sheep, dogs, or poachers, that there may 

 be always plenty of deer. 



" The farmers also in these counties ought to consider where hunting 

 is practised, that it not only gives a stimulus for rearing and breeding good 

 horses, but also, if I may be allowed the expression, will be the means of 

 bringing ' grist to the mill.' 



" That the deer are not generally such close feeders as some have 

 represented, I think, will appear from the small space of ground the one I 

 had was kept in, though in their wild and free state they have a much 

 larger space to roam over, and feed at their will." 



Dated Lyntoii, July, 1866. 



With the Eoebuck, the first horn which appears is a single 

 short prong with a small burr at the base. The following year 

 this prong, or rather the new one which supplies its place, curves 

 backward and throws out a tine rather above the middle, and 

 pointing forwards. In the succeeding year a second tine is 

 thrown out a little higher up and pointing backwards ; the main 



