THE ANTLERS. 173 
stance, when it is matured it is comparatively a solid bone, with 
more or less branches, and there is an absence of the medullary 
canal, with its marrow, arteries, and nerves; but, as we shall see, 
we have their equivalents, and more, for the blood vessels trav- 
ersing the interstices within are so expanded during the rapid 
growth of the antlers as to meet the anomalous demand for the 
elements of growth during that short but exciting period. 
I will now explain briefly the system of blood-vessels provided 
to nourish the antler during its rapid growth. First, the external 
supply from the periosteum. These are an extension of a part 
of the arteries of the periosteum, which persistently covers the 
pedicel which forms the seat of the new antler. Second, a part 
of the arteries of the periosteum of the pedicel turn in and over- 
spread the top of the pedicel at the articulation, and thence pass 
up through the interior of the new antler. And third, we find 
a number of arteries which pass up through the interior of the 
pedicel and into the growing antler. During the period of 
growth, many of all these three sets of arteries are of enormous 
size as compared with the blood-vessels with which internal 
bones are supplied. 
Having thus briefly stated the system of blood-vessels pro- 
vided for the growth of the new antler, let us now go back to 
where we left the top of the pedicel, — the concave seat of the 
antler overgrown with the thick vascular covering, which was an 
extension of the periosteum, which persistently surrounds the 
bony process of the skull, upon which the future antler is to be 
grown. Whether this has been accomplished months before, as 
when the antler was cast off early, or but a day or two before, 
as in the case of our elk, at the proper time when the active 
growth is to commence, in the blood-vessels passing up through 
the periosteum, the circulation becomes greatly accelerated, the 
temperature is greatly increased, the parts become exceedingly 
sensitive to the touch, and we have the appearance of a high 
state of inflammation, though in reality but a very active nat- 
sural action. As before stated, the thick, massive periosteum is 
raised up from the bone beneath into a convex protuberance. 
Beneath, the space is occupied by a new system of blood-vessels, 
by far the greatest number shooting inward from the arteries in 
the periosteum, still others rising up through the bone below, 
the canals through which have suddenly become greatly enlarged 
by the absorption of the inner lamine. As yet nothing like 
ossification has taken place, and if the part be now inspected it 
