56 



THE CANADIAN SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 



Frank Buckland, who fully illustrated the 

 Royal heads of European deer. We have had 

 many opportunities of seeing and handling 

 the heads of what are termed " King Bucks," 

 belonging to the common deer (C. Virgin- 

 ianus). Instance the illustration at the head 

 of Mr. Scriven's advertisement — that we take 

 to be a " King or Royal Buck " head of C. Vir- 

 ginianus. We agree with our correspondent that 

 the horns of all species of deer are variously 

 produced, but independent of this fact, we can 

 show a series of heads with horns ot unusual 

 or " King " typical form, and these heads are 

 from differant parts of the Dominion. We have 

 on this continent three forms of C. Virginianus, 

 all of which produce Royal heads, and when 

 we compare these horns with the genus Cervus 

 of Europe, then it is that we arrive at the con- 

 clusion that such are produced and they are 

 termed here " Royal Bucks." Age has nothing 

 to do with the growth. For instance, say that 

 the nails on the doctor's fingers are not clipped 

 for one year, they may probably grow the 

 length of his fingers, and moreover take a 

 spiral form. The argument that the growth is 

 retarded by frost, is not natural, because the 

 horns are fully grown, and there are not many 

 bucks in the velvet by the end of September. 



Since a portion of this note was in type, we 

 received an addenda to the above letter from 

 the doctor, in which he says that there is a 

 great difference between the deer (Genus Cer- 

 vus) of Scotland, and the common deer (Genus 

 Cariacus) of America. We are perfectly aware 

 of this, but the fact that they belong to two 

 distinct genera does not disturb our theory 

 that they are both liable to attain horns known 

 as " King or Royal Bucks." A " Royal Head," 

 although rare, is not typical but an abnormal 

 form, occurring in all species of deer, and 

 having said this much, we ask the opinions of 

 others on the matter. — Ed. 



J. H. G. — " The Canadian Naturalist and 

 Geologist " is published by Dawson Brothers, 

 159 St. James Street, Montreal. The price of 

 the vol., covering two years, is $3 in advance. 



We do not know the Montreal journalist 

 referred to ; we have no time to enquire if he 

 is a " scamp " or not. You had better address 

 Detective Cullenof this city, who will ferret 

 him out and send the required information. 



OUR FOREST TREES. 



White Birch ; B. alba. — This is the smallest 

 of the birch trees, seldom attaining a height of 

 over 30 feet. It grows with the pitch pine in 

 the poorest sandy soils, and is fit to cut 

 tor fuel in ten years fiom the seed. Its wood 

 is of no other value, as it is soft and decays 

 rapidly. 



Common Alder ; Alnus serrulata. — A shrub 

 or small tree, seldom growing more than 12 or 

 14 feet high and 2 or 3 inches in diameter. It 

 abounds along water courses and in swamps, 

 where its flowers are among the earliest har- 

 bingers of spring, sometimes displaying their 

 tasselsin the closingdays of March. The wood, 

 which is at first white and soon acquires a buff 

 color, is chiefly used as fuel, and for making 

 charcoal, to be employed in the manufacture of 

 gunpowder. It is also taken for the hoops of 

 small casks. Alder leaves are thought to have 

 some medicinal value as an application to 

 ulcers and to sore throats. 



Buttonwood ; Platanus Occidentalis.— Next 

 to the white pine, the buttonwood or plane tree 

 is the loftiest and grandest tree of New England. 

 One which grew a few miles from Newport 

 forty years ago, measured over 24 feet in cir- 

 cumference at one foot above the ground. On 

 the Ohio river the buttonwood acquires gigan- 

 tic proportions. In 1820 the younger Michaux 

 measured a stock which at four feet above the 

 ground, was 47 feet in circumference. When 

 standing near water this species is noted for the 

 rapidity of its growth, and has been known to 

 attain the height of 80 feet in 20 years. For 

 some years the buttonwood of the Eastern 

 States have been subject to a malady, not yet 

 satisfactorily accounted for, which has des- 

 troyed many of the finest trees and has affected 

 the branches and leaves of many others. In the 

 South-western States the buttonwood, known 

 there as the sycamore, is still vigorous and 

 healthy. Very little use in the arts is made of 

 the wood of, this tree, for although firm and of 

 pleasing grain, it is very perishable and liable 

 to warp. As fuel it has been pronounced of fair 

 value. 



