140 THE RATWA DEER 



of all, others, of the Cervine Genus, are so small as to deserve almost to 

 be termed obsolete ; and are elevated on pedestals higher than themselves, 

 which pedestals are, nevertheless, covered to their summits by a continua- 

 tion of the skin of the forehead. So that when the Rattva periodically 

 sheds his real horns, their pedestals, as above described, remaining, give 

 the animal's head the very appearance of that of the Giraffe, so far at 

 least, as the frontal prominences are concerned. Nor is this all : for, as 

 much as these pedestals of the horns ascend above the crown of the fore- 

 head, so much do they descend below ; their origin being the very extreme 

 points of the os f rontis, considerably below the insertion of the nasal bones. 

 Here, then, the pedestals of the horns commence ; and, in the shape of 

 two prominent ridges, gradually diverging, they run along the outsides of 

 the entire length of the forehead, only quitting the skull at the outer angles 

 of the sutures connecting the frontal and parietal bones. Yet more : down 

 the inner side of either of these ridges of the pedestals runs a most singu- 

 lar fissure, formed by a strong reflexion of the skin. The margins of the 

 fissures are full and dilateable ; and the animal expands them under 

 excitement as well as applies them, so expanded, to objects of curiosity 

 with the apparent purpose of feeling or smelling such objects ; just as he 

 applies the suborbital fissures. The frontal fissures are about two inches 

 long, straight, and longitudinally directed down the sides of the os frontis. 

 The skin is continued without interruption or sensible diminution of thick- 

 ness throughout their interior : but the interior is nearly denuded of hair. 

 When the hide is stripped from the carcase, there is no internal indication, 

 not even the crease, — of the strong folds prevailing on the outside of the 

 skin and forming the fissures : but there is a very slight indentation of 

 skull corresponding with them. 



M The ridges of the pedestals are elevated nearly one-third of an inch, 

 above the sides of the os frontis ; and their substance is solid, and bony, 

 like that of the skull, of which indeed the ridges form an integral part, 



