364 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Eed-deer, which are not so much attached to the woods, and 

 are more circumspect in all their movements, would be less 

 likely to meet with such mishaps. 



It may, I think, be fairly assumed that in all cases of 

 abnormal growth wherein the antlers are asymmetrical (as in 

 Figs. 4 and 5, and Figs. 6 and 7) the abnormality is due to direct 

 injury to the particular horn which is distorted or affected. But 

 in cases where the horns are symmetrical and yet abnormal in 

 character (as in Figs. 8 and 9) the abnormality is probably to be 

 traced to some peculiar physical ailment whereby the growth 

 and proper development of the horn is arrested or interfered 

 with at a critical stage. 



Fig. 12. 



The size and weight of antlers will doubtless depend much 

 upon the nature and quality of the food available, and will vary 

 in proportion to the supply of phosphate of lime secreted in 

 their formation. 



A third class of abnormal growths (as in Figs. 10 and 11) is 

 not to be explained as due either to injury or disease. In Fig. 10 

 we see two pairs of horns springing from the same skull, one pair 

 directly above the other, and both fairly symmetrical, although 

 not quite normal in character. In Fig. 11 we see a coalescence 

 of the burrs of what should have been two independent horns, 



