300 SIR V. BROOKE ON CERVUS SCHOMBURGKI. [Mar. 7, 



Fions, which remain, with their velvety periosteum, persistent during 

 the remainder of the animal's life. The two former of these proposi- 

 tions I have myself verified hy experiment ; the third I must, for 

 the present, take upon the authority of former experimenters*, and 

 upon the assurance of Mr. Sawyer, Head Keeper ot the Royal Park 

 at Richmond, who, some years ago, informed me that he had very 

 frequently tried this experiment for himself and invariably with the 

 same result. 



From the almost perfectly normal outline and dimensions of these 

 abnormal horns of Cervus schomhurgki it is, I think, evident that 

 they are referable to a deer castrated whilst in " hard horn." Their 

 exostosed superficial surface, in which their abnormality consists, is 

 accounted for by the supposition that the velvety periosteum being 

 in full connexion (as it was possibly for some years) with the cir- 

 culatory system, continued to perfoini, probably in a sluggish and 

 irregular manner, its proper physiological function, the deposit of 

 osseous matter, thus giving rise to a slowly increasing exostosis, in 

 which the external arterial and venal canals became more and more 

 dcerily imbedded. At the same lime the great density and weight 

 of tlie horns seems to indicate that this external deposit of osseous 

 matter was accompanied by an internal deposit which gradually 

 obliterated the cancellous tissue of the centre of the horn. 



The form of horns described as characteristic of Cervus schom- 

 hnrglii in the following diagnosis is based on the examination of 

 numerous specimens, including the types ; the external coloration 

 and body-measurements upon the adult male specimen preserved in 

 the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle at Paris. Tiiis specimen was sent 

 by M. Bocourt from Siam in 1868, and is that mentioned by Mr. 

 Blyth (P. Z. S. 1867, p. 835), and later by Mr. Sclater (Trans. Z. 

 S. vol. vii. p. 349). 



The comparative measurements of Cervus schomhurgki, Cervus 

 duvaucelli (Cuv.), and Cervus eldi (auct. anon.) are taken from the 

 frontlet and horns of the adult male Cervus schomburgki (fig. 1) 

 above mentioned and from very fine skulls of Cervus duvaucelli and 

 Cervus eldi in my own collection. 



Cervus schomhurgki (Blyth). 



Adult male. — Antlers with very long powerful brow-antlers, which 

 are frequently forked ; beam very short, and more or less laterally 

 compressed, upper part of the antlers strictly dichotomous, each of 

 the main branches about equally developed, and in itself dichoto- 

 mous, and furnished with long cylindrical tines. External surface 

 of the antlers smooth and polished. Hair in winter rather long 

 and coarse. General colour uniform brown, darkest on the nose and 

 upper surface of the tail, and lightest on the cheeks and lower parts 

 of the sides and haunches. Lower lip, belly, and under surface of 

 the tail whitish. Upper lip, occiput, and limbs with a decided tinge 



* See a curious old work to which Prof. Rolleston has lately called my at- 

 tention, entitled ' The Economy of Nature in Acute and Chronical Diseases of 

 the Glands,' by Dr. Richard BusspU (pp. 21 -24). 



