48 J Co(]ihmr\— On an alnormalily in the Tiorns of the Uog-deer. [No. 2, 



The growth of the antlers in the Wapiti has been carefully described 

 by Judge Caton whose observations extended over a period of 15 years and 

 included over 100 deer. 



The horns of the 1st year are usually spikes, a condition I illustrate by 

 fig. 1. 



^^ 



12 3 4 



The second antlers have both brow and bez tines, this condition I 

 therefore regard as a double furcation, fig. 2. The third antlers almost 

 invariably have the Royal tine, see fig. 3. The fourth and fifth year may 

 or may not produce the sur-royal, fig. 4. 



The horns of Cervus elaphus and its numerous races are, I consider, the 

 most difficult of comprehension in the whole group, and the above is I 

 believe the first rational explanation of their development that has as yet 

 been offered. Capreolus caprea and Elapliurus davidianus are both primi- 

 tive types. In these two genera the primary bifurcation takes place on 

 the beam at some distance from the burr. The development of the horns 

 of Capreolus offer so admirable an instance of furcation from a simple 

 beam, that the marvel is that the theory I have brought forward has not 

 occurred to some one before. 



The horns of Elaphurus davidianus which were a stumbling block to 

 Prof. Garrod, who states that they were " quite beyond his comprehension," 

 are easily explained by the same theory. The primary furcation takes 

 place some distance up the beam, the forward branch (brow tine) subse- 

 quently furcates again, while the posterior branch, which in the stag {Elaphus) 

 has hitherto been considered the beam, remains simple tapering and pointed. 

 It thus becomes obvious that superiority of growth in either the anterior 

 or posterior branches of the prim.ary furcation would constitute the main 

 stem or beam. 



The tendency towards furcation of the anterior branch or brow tine is 

 yet manifest in various existing cervines. In an extinct species of deer, 

 Megaceros hihernicus the brow tine was constantly furcate at the extremity, 

 and a tendency to this order of things is to be observed throughout the 

 Rusine family, I would in this manner explain the studs and snags so 

 commonly present in the brow tine of Axis mnculatus. I observe that it 

 exists in 8 out of 15 heads, and such being the case^ it appears doubtful 



