60 FOREST CREATURES. 



the process. They have heard that the stag " sheds his 

 horn," but of the meaning of the words they have 

 anything but a clear idea. Least of all do they imagine 

 that the whole of the strong, thick, solid growth parts 

 at the base from the spot where it grew, and drops off 

 as a sere leaf in autumn falls dead and sapless to the 

 earth. Nor do they know that out of the hard bone 

 there sprouts forth, like the buds from Aaron's rod, a 

 soft, sap-filled shoot, growing up, as the tree of a fairy 

 tale, in a wonderfully short time, into a majestic, broad, 

 manifold ramification. 



Towards the end of February the stately ornament 

 gives way at its base, and tumbles to the ground. But 

 in a day or two the new growth shows itself above the 

 surface of the small circular hard foundation, and 

 upwards it rises, and begins to germ, till at last the 

 many shoots develope boldly in broadest dimensions. 

 The whole is covered with a thick velvet, which 

 preserves the points, as yet soft and tender, from injury. 

 These, as long as the process of reproduction is going on, 

 are in a transition state, from porous consistency to 

 bone, and are replete with blood. They are extremely 

 sensitive, and the stag is very careful of the new horn. 

 Hence at this time, in order to avoid all injury by 

 striking it against the branches, he avoids the dense 

 forest, and frequents young woods and low thickets. 

 In about twelve weeks, branch, and spray, and crown, 



