184 THE DEER OF AMERICA. 
the same side was of perfect form, showing that the pedicel had 
not been injured. 
The Ceylon buck in my grounds arrived when his antlers 
were about half grown, and ‘one of them was badly bruised and 
bent over, yet it grew on to maturity without showing any signs 
of disease, but without symmetry or definable form. 
I have in my collection many specimens of deformed antlers, 
some of which I have illustrated. One without a beam on either 
antler but consisting only of snags or tines growing from the 
burr, others having apparently double or treble beams on the 
same antler. These deformities, I think, have arisen from inju- 
ries received in the early stage of the growth of the antlers. 
They would, I doubt not, have been shed at the proper time, and 
been succeeded by antlers of the proper form. Without injury 
there may be abnormal growths on the antlers. As wlfere tines 
appear in unnatural positions or places, or where the beam is bi- 
furcated with regular palms on each prong, as shown in the il- 
lustration of the antlers of the Scandinavian elk in Stockholm, but 
there are also unusual growths throughout the animal kingdom, 
for which it would often be difficult to assign a satisfactory cause. 
The effect of emasculation upon the growth of the antlers of 
the Cervide is very marked, and has been the subject of long and 
careful observation. Although it has been long understood that 
this operation does produce some effect upon the growth of the 
antler, ideas have been very crude as to what that effect is. 
This I thought very remarkable, from the well known fact that 
castration has long been practiced by the Lapps upon their domes- 
ticated reindeer, and so its effect should be well understood by 
them, and opportunities for learning these effects by naturalists 
should have been abundant. 
A careful investigation of the subject in Lapland, explained 
the matter very satisfactorily. 
Early in July, when at Tromsé, in Norwegian Lapland, I vis- 
ited a wealthy Lapp, named Anders Nilsen Heika, and carefully 
examined his large herd of reindeer, many of which were lying 
about within a few feet of me, and interviewed their owner for 
several hours as to their habits, treatment, etc. He was intelli- 
gent and candid, and seemed anxious to impart all the informa- 
tion possible. Many of my questions involved points which had 
never occurred to him before, and when this was the case, he 
frankly said so, that no undue weight might be given to his recol- 
lection or impression. 
