536 UNGULATA. 



necessary. Soon after birth, the place destined by nature to bear the 

 antlers is indicated by a considerable development of bone on the fore- 

 head. During the sixth or eighth month of the animal's existence, two 

 small elevations or knobs make their appearance ; these remain perma- 

 nently during its whole life. From each of these knobs grows a carti- 

 laginous prolongation, which soon assumes a bony texture. 



Until they become perfectly hard, these two early sprouts are pro- 

 tected against any external friction by a kind of velvety skin, which 

 serves as a vehicle for the calcareous matter, and dries up as soon as 

 ossification is accomplished, the beast freeing them from the velvet by 

 rubbing its head against a tree. The technical name for these bony 

 developments during the first year of the deer's life is that of dags. They 

 are simply straight horns. They are shed in the second year, and are 

 then replaced with antlers, which bear one branch or tine. In the spring 

 of the third year the same process is repeated, but the new antlers bear 

 an additional branch or tine, and this augmentation of the number of the 

 tines at each annual reproduction of the antlers goes on till the animal 

 reaches maturity. The junction of the antler with the bony frontal 

 development or knob is very close. The root of the antlers throws out 

 processes of various size which fit into corresponding depressions in the 

 knob, while processes running from the knob in turn insert themselves 

 into depressions in the root of the antlers. A close dove-tail joint is thus 

 formed, and the union is so perfect, that in a newly-grown antler it can- 

 not be detected, even by a vertical section through the antler and the 

 knob ; but when the antler is full grown and hardened, it can be seen in 

 the section as a very fine zigzag line. If violence is applied to an antler 

 before it is ready to be shed, it does not break off at this joint, but the 

 whole knob is torn away from the frontal bone. The shedding is effected 

 by the weight of the antlers. Some days previous to this event the skin 

 around the knobs becomes loose; the deer avoids striking or pushing 

 with his antlers, and betrays that there is an unaccustomed sensation in 

 the place. There is usually an interval, sometimes of only a few minutes, 

 sometimes of several days, between the dropping off of the two antlers. 

 The deer hangs his head and ears, and shows clearly that if the process 

 is not painful, it is all events uncomfortable. When one of the antlers is 

 fallen, he carries his head on one side, and keeps shaking it, so as to get 

 rid of the other. Immediately after the shedding, the reproduction of 

 the bony ornaments of the head begins. This renewal is a very curious 



