NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 329 
Deer were not inclosed in parks till tlie fourteenth century. 
James I. imported a great number of deer, probably rein-deer 
(thougli the books say fallow -deer), from Norway into Scotland, 
and introduced them into his chases of Enfield and Epping. 
The progressive rate of (growth of the horns of Eed 
Deer is a most interesting subject. By the kindness of the 
authorities of the museum at Exeter, I am enabled to give 
drawings of a series of Eed Deer horns. These horns were 
shed by the same deer, and carefully preserved as they fell off. 
The following is the account of this most interesting and unique 
series : — 
" The six pairs of horns belonged to the same animal, reared 
from a calf by John Clarke, of Lynton, N. Devon, and were 
shed annually in the spring. The drawings illustrate the mode 
of growth of the horns or antlers and their annual increase in 
size from the first to the eighth year of the animal's life. This 
individual was kept in a dry grass field without water, and was 
never supplied with any artificial food whatever. Before the 
animal was one year old the horns began to appear, about the 
latter end of May. In the following April these w^ere shed, 
when they were nine inches long (Fig. 1). A very short time 
afterwards, others began to be developed, and in the latter end 
of April folloAving these were also shed, though not both on 
the same day. These had ' brow,' ' bay,' and ' tray,' with upright 
— altogether upwards of two feet in length (Fig. 2). In his fourth 
year he had the same kind of antlers, with two points on top on 
one horn, and two and an offer on the other (Fig. 3). In his 
fifth year, antlers as before, with two points and an oher on 
each horn (Fig 4). In his sixth year, antlers the same, with 
three points on each top. In his seventh year, antlers as before, 
with four points on each top (Fig. 6). In his eighth year 
(when he w^as killed), antlers as before, though on one liorn the 
points w^ere not so perfect as in his seventh year. It will thus 
be seen that this deer had seven points on each horn, making 
together fourteen (Fig. 7). 
" The age of the stag, or male red deer, which alone bears 
horns or antlers, may be pretty easily determined by the num- 
ber of the branches till its seventh or eighth year ; but after that 
period the increase of those parts is not subject to any fixed 
rule. The oldest have seldom more than ten or tw^elve branches. 
" In England, at the present day, the red deer exists in a 
state of nature only on Exmoor, a wild tract of country on the 
borders of Devon and Somerset, from whence came the animal 
w^hose head and horns are here exhibited. The red deer still 
