734 General Notes. [July, 
Antonio. I examined this collection several years since, and must 
pronounce it the finest collection of deers’ heads and antiers I 
ever saw anywhere; most of these were well mounted, and well — 
arranged. Nearly all are of the common deer (Cervus virginianus) — 
and taken in Texas; but there were one or two of the mule deer — 
(Cervus macrotes) which I was informed were also taken in Texas. 
With the limited information before me it is not easy to classify 
this specimen with absolute certainty. If I had but the tail or 
the skin of a hind leg I could classify it with as much certainty 
as if the whole animal was before me, for these are so neatly 
alike on every individual of each species and so unlike every 
other species as to be absolutely reliable, so far as my observa- 
tions have extended. 
he first inquiry which naturally presents itself is, are these 
antlers of the form and position of any known species of deer 
in America? The palmetation first attracts our attention. We 
have three species of deer in America, which have habitually 
and distinctively palmetted antlers, the moose (A/ces) and the two 
species of caribou (7arandus). 
ese antlers most resemble that of the moose, being broadly 
palmetted, with points or spurs on their upper borders, but in Poe 
tion they are entirely unlike those of the moose. The antlers 0 
the moose are projected from the head in a nearly horizontal pa 
tion, sometimes a little depressed, and sometimes a little elevated, 
the latter position being more frequently observed on the A 
animal. The palnietation does not become pronounced ti 
after he is four years old. ; ver- 
The position of these antlers appears to be approximately 
tical, spreading, possibly, thirty degrees from the vertical. bbe 
Not the rudiment of a basal snag is formed on the antler 0 
moose. On these antlers the basal snags are large. hose 
The form of these antlers differs still more widely from ong 
of the caribou. These always have distinctive beams ya awi 
prongs which are liable to be palmetted at the ends, butt , 
distinctive characteristic is the brow tines which proj ds, with 
f, : ends, 
ward over the face, with broad vertical palms at + chen ene 
Indeed there can hardly be said to be a resemblance 
the antlers under consideration and those of the cane’ the lati 
But if the resemblance to either were never so striking, esti 
d the sugg 
All of these 
and Montana may be considered the extreme ose fou 3 
their habitat. I have seen fossil remains of the mo that they 
