GROWTH OF ANTLERS. 817 



Sometimes the arrest was on one side only, producing the Single- 

 horned Stag as shown (B). Occasionally a small supernvimerary 

 horn might grow below the Burr or Coronel (b), as shown in the 

 figures of Muntjac (E) and Red Deer (D), probably due, as in the 

 Four-horned Sheep, to accessory centres in the pedicle or horn 

 support. Other variations, and by far the most common, were due 

 to dichotomy, bifurcation, or segmentation of the beam or of 

 the tines. That favoiu-able environment and ample food promoted 

 vai'iation in the direction of exuberance or proliferation of points 

 was well demonstrated by the photographs from Warnham Court 

 and by illustrations in Mr. Wiiians' book " Deer-breeding for 

 Fine Heads," published by Messrs. Rowland Ward. On the other 

 hand, head-keepers and others in charge of Scottish Deer forests, 

 had observed that scarcity of food, hard weather, and exposure 

 have a marked effect on the antlers of Deer, causing deficiency 

 in growth, bad form, and degeneration. 



It was not often, at least in Scotland, that a stag with a good 

 head escaped the attention of the owner or lessee of the Forest, 

 and therefore defects and variations due to extreme age were 

 seldom seen in the Red Stag, but in the Park Fallow Deer a 

 marked change took place in the form of the palmation of the 

 antler due to advancing age. 



Malformations and variations due to accident, casti'ation, or 

 wounds, were not referred to, as being pathological. 



Of the specimens exhibited in illustration of his remarks, 

 Mr. Holding drew special attention to the antler of a Sambvir 

 stag (J), showing excessive proliferation of points, and an 

 exceptionally fine pair of antlers lent by Mr. 0. J. Lucas, of 

 Warnham Coui't. 



Explanation (continued) of Text-fig. 134 (see opposite). 



D. Head of Stag shot in Jura Forest, sliowiug supernumerary right antler (a) growing 



from a separate pedicle on the frontal bone. 



E. Muntjac {Cervuhts muntjac), showing supernumerary horns {b) springing from 



the long pedicle. 



F. Head of Fallow-buck {Cervus dama), showing dichotomy or bifurcation of beam 



of right antler at the " burr." 



G. Antler of Axis Deer {Cervus axis), the bifurcation occurring above the burr. 



H. Head of Red Stag from Warnham Park, having 42 points. From photograph by 

 J. G. Millais, Esq., F.Z.S. 

 I. Head of White-tailed Deer (Cariacus leucurus), showing excessive proliferation. 



Shown by Capt. Frewen at a recent Exhibition of American trophies. 

 J. Antler of Sambur Deer (Cervus unicolor), showing profuse growth of "points" 

 obliterating the normal character of the antler. 



