Abnormal Growth of a Damaged Horn 451 



new layers. If this injury occurs on one side only, the growth 

 taking place henceforth on one side in excess of the other, the 

 horn will be turned over in a curve towards the weakened 

 part. That is what has happened in this instance. The 

 injury was doubtless received in youth, a bullet possibly fired 

 from behind having carried away the inner and under part of 

 the horn-core at its root. By slow degrees all the rest would 

 follow. 



We may note that the growth force residing in the living 

 structures at the root of the horn were quite independent of 

 the animal's control. There was no power resident in the 

 animal's system, or external to it, which could interfere with 

 the natural tendencies of these structures and constrain them 

 to develop only in accordance with the interests of the whole. 

 Nature affords us many illustrations of her modes which it 

 might be wise for us to take heed of in respect to social 

 affairs. In the body politic enlightened intelligence supplies 

 the place of the controlling power which was so lamentably 

 absent in the case before us. The sources of political power 

 reside, however, as in the case of the horn, in the living 

 elements which constitute the population, and it is obviously 

 possible that any section of the latter may, in ignorance, use its 

 power in a manner contrary to its own interests, Our shaft 

 is, of course, aimed at all ill-informed exercise of power, and 

 if it hits the neo-malthusians, or the ultra-socialists, or both, 

 we cannot help it. In either case it is just possible that 

 projects may be pushed forward with ignorant energy out 

 of their proper curve, and greatly to the prejudice of national 

 life in the future. We plead for thoughtfulness and sense of 

 responsibility. The forces of Nature, beneficent as in the 

 main they are, may yet be called blind and inexorable, and 

 what is once done can seldom be wholly remedied. 



[We are indebted to the courtesy of the proprietor of The 

 Field for the loan of the block. — Ed. Mus. Gaz.~\ 



