186 THE DEER OF AMERICA. 
Dr. Owens’ statements on this subject accord more closely 
with the results which I have obtained than any others which I 
have met. Still they differ in some very important particulars, 
but they are mostly founded on experiments not made by him- 
self; and I must say that I think it quite probable, from what is 
said, that there was much room for error. It is possible, indeed, 
that a different effect may be produced on some species of deer 
from that produced on others, but all analogy would render this 
exceedingly improbable. When it is said that the antler ona 
castrated specimen has been shed and renewed annually as on 
the perfect animal, a doubt is left whether the animal was really 
or at least completely castrated ; such we have seen was the in- 
formation given me by the Lapp as his first impression, but a 
careful examination showed that he was probably mistaken in 
his supposition, that castration had no effect on the growth of the 
antler on the reindeer. We may still doubt whether the oper- 
ation was complete, or whether the breaking off of the antler 
near the head, and the growing of a new one from the stump, 
which as we shall presently see always occurs on the smaller 
species in this latitude, has not been mistaken for a shedding and 
renewal of the antler. Long practice and great care, as well as 
a full appreciation of the distinctive features to be sought for, 
are indispensable to qualify us to make observations which may 
be absolutely relied upon. : 
My experiments have been tried upon two species only in my 
own grounds, but they have been numerous, and upon individ 
uals of almost every age, and continued through a long course of 
years. I proceed to results. 
If a deer be castrated at any time after the antlers are so far 
matured that their velvet may be removed without material in- 
jury, and while they still firmly occupy their seat, they will inva- 
riably drop off within thirty days thereafter, though it may be 
months before the time when they would have been shed in the 
course of nature. In this case, and also when the operation is 
performed after the antlers are dropped naturally, in the spring 
following when the new antlers on the perfect buck commence 
their growth, the same growth commences on the mutilated ani- 
mal, and progresses to all external appearance the same as on 
the perfect animal till they have attained nearly the same size as 
those which were last cast off. If the buck be a young one with 
a spike antler, this will be a spike also of nearly the same length. 
1 Comparative Anatomy and Physiology of Vertebrates, vol. iii., p. 631. 
