102 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



even three successive bifurcations at the summits of its 

 horns*. Notwithstanding this remarkable character of 

 the horns and the colouring of the fur, it might be taken 

 for the Canadian species, if the collection of horns in the 

 British Museum had not produced two pair, one of which 

 corresponds perfectly with this drawing : this pair is inferior 

 to the ordinary antlers of the Wapiti or Canadian, and fur- 

 nishes a character likewise observable in the sketch, and 

 which is not found in other stags, namely, that the second, 

 or bezantler, is the longest of the three on each beam ; 

 they are about three feet from burr to tip, very rugous and 

 pearled, the brow antlers bent over the face, the bezantler 

 curving upwards and to the front, the royal bent somewhat 

 laterally and upwards, and the summit terminating in two 

 bifurcations, one above the other, and with both their pro- 

 cesses subvertically forward. The other pair much inferior 

 in size, probably of a four years' old animal, does not pre- 

 sent the elegant lyrate shape of the beams, conspicuous in 

 the drawing and in the first pair; its brow and bezantlers 

 are conjoined at the base and point, nearly vertically, and 

 the summit bears only a single fork with both processes 

 upwards. There is some reason to believe that both these 

 pair were brought to England by Captain Vancouver. 



In the drawing the horns shewn to the front correspond 

 perfectly with the first-mentioned pair. The face of the 

 animal is coloured dark-brown, a space round the eyes and 

 cheeks buff, the inside of the limbs and chin white, the 

 muzzle broad and black, and the lachrymary sinus long: the 

 ears very long, dark outside, edged with black and white 



* I found the original at William Henry, on the Richelieu, and 

 the owner stated himself to have been in the fur trade, and in this 

 capacity to have traversed the North-western country in various 

 directions. By the name of Biche, the Canadians understand, I 

 believe, the Virginian Stag ; its proper signification is the Hind. 

 He seemed unacquainted with the Mule- deer. 



