THE RED DEER'S LIFE 41 



to repeat at length the opinions of others on the sub- 

 ject of the development of the antlers of the red 

 deer. Whole volumes have been devoted to illus- 

 trating the splendid growth or peculiar monstrosities 

 which have been found in the collections of heads 

 preserved in some of the German castles. 

 Dombrowski's work, ' Die Geweihbildung der 

 europaischen Hirscharten,' illustrates some rare 

 deformities, and has the merit of being less expensive 

 than most works of the kind. The plates are 

 coloured and well executed. Still more important is 

 A. B. Meyer's work upon the heads of deer, 'Die 

 Hirschgeweih-Sammlung im Schlosse zu Moritzburg,' 

 of which the first edition appeared in 1883, followed 

 by a second in 1887. Many excellent remarks on 

 antlers are to be referred to in Collyns' book, ' The 

 Chase of the Red Deer.' Richard Jefferies never did 

 a better piece of work than when he wrote a short 

 volume on Exmoor ' Red Deer ' ; but he had no pre- 

 tensions to write with authority upon such a difficult 

 subject as heads. Collyns, on the other hand, wrote 

 from ripe, and indeed life-long, acquaintance with the 

 subject. A new edition of his work, which is scarce 

 and dear, would be welcomed by sportsmen, if edited 

 wisely. His explanation of the development of the 

 antler, in its various stages, supplies a want which is 



