360 MR. LYDEKKER ON A [DeC. 2, 



with their antlers in this forked stage. The antlers, in such 

 cases, only become heavier each year, and show longer tines 

 without developing new points. A similar tendency to remain in 

 the three-pointed stage is also apparent. The forked and three- 

 pointed stages are indeed the starting-points from which the 

 palmated and non-palmated antlers diverge and develop in different 

 directions. The forked stage of the immature antler with rounded 

 tines may to a certain extent be regarded as a repetition of the 

 phylogenetic development, so that in this way the " cervine" elk- 

 antler, whether it be called a development of the young stage or 

 a reversion, displays primitive characteristics in its rounded tines. 

 This must not, however, be understood to mean that I infer that 

 the nearest ancestors of the common Elk had antlers of exactly 

 the same type as those here termed " cervine." 



Finally, I will only remark that an Elk with the antlers so well 

 developed as text-fig. 73 (p. 356) is still at its most vigorous age, 

 as a glance at its dentition is sufficient to indicate. The incisors 

 are not so worn but that they form a continuous edge, with the 

 outer broad ends fully in contact with each other. In the same 

 way the molars do not look much worn, the accessory columns of 

 the upper ones being perfectly intact. 



2. Note ou a Reindeer Skull from Novaia Zemlia. 

 By H. Lydekkee. 



[Received November 15, 1902.] 



(Text-figure 77.) 



By the courtesy of Mr. H. J. Pearson, F.Z.S., of Bramcote, 

 Notts, in whose possession is the specimen, I am enabled to liring 

 to the notice of the Society a Beindeer's skull, with a remai-kably 

 fine pail' of antlers, obtained by that gentleman from the top of a. 

 Samoyed's hut in Novaia Zemlia in 1895. The specimen has 

 already been figured, with a biief description, by the owner in 

 liis ' Beyond Petsora Eastward ' (1899) ; but its interest is such 

 that I have no hesitation in bringing it more prominently into 

 notice. 



The antlei's are charaxsterized l:)y the great development and 

 palmation of both the brow- and bez-tines, which are, however 

 (unlike the majority of American Reindeer), not very unequal in 

 size. The beam is of medium length and carries a very large 

 back-tine ; above the latter there is a large palmation, most 

 developed on the left side, terminating in a number of irregular 

 snags. The length of the antlers, from base to tip, along the 

 cux've is 49 inches ; the palmation of the larger of the two brow- 

 tines has a vei'tical depth of 16 inches, its fellow tl| inches. 



That these antlers are quite unlike those of the Scandinavian 

 Reindeer (oi-, at least, any that have come under my own observa- 

 tion) is apparent at a glance. They are less unlike those of 



