362 Proceedings of the 



following inferences : — 1st, That they are the heads of old 

 bucks : the size of the horns and worn teeth prove this ; 2d, 

 That the triangular palmated plates on their horns are formed 

 and used for the purpose of shovelling away the snow to 

 get at their food ; 3d, That they have been used for this. 

 4ith, That they have been so used for a longer period than 

 the month or six weeks after snow has fallen (in September 

 and October) which Sir John Richardson gives them for re- 

 turning over the Barren Grounds, where the lichens grow 

 which they disinter for their food; 5th, That it is in the 

 winter they have been so rubbed and worn, and not in the 

 summer ; and, lastly, It should follow from these premises that 

 the horns are not shed in November. Another argument 

 against their being shed then may be drawn from what 

 takes place with other deer. The red deer, for instance, in 

 this country has its rutting season in September (the same 

 time as the rein-deer), and the horns are not shed till April or 

 May — the oldest, however, shedding them first. It is to be kept 

 in mind that the rutting season and the growth of the horns 

 are intimately connected together, the reproducing power under 

 which the new horns advance in growth being then exerted to 

 the utmost. The other North American deer, like the red 

 deer and other stags, do not shed their horns before winter. 

 The moose keeps them the whole winter ; and the instance in 

 question, if true, seems to be a solitary exception to the economy 

 of all the rest of the deer tribe, so far as I have been able to 

 ascertain. Still, the statements on the subject are too explicit, 

 and from too high authority, to be evaded by an argument or 

 an inference ; although I must say that it is long since I 

 have been of opinion that circumstantial evidence is of ten times 

 more value than the best direct testimony in the world. All 

 that I mean, therefore, by making these remarks, is to invite 

 the attention of those who may have the opportunity of observ- 

 ing the animals to a more careful examination of the economy 

 of the old bucks in respect to the shedding of their horns. 



The two smaller heads sent me by Mr Hargrave as ex- 

 ceptional, from the form of their horns, are interesting. The 

 one, from the state of its worn teeth, is obviously an old deer, 

 although small in size, and with small horns. Its horns 



