124 
DEER. 
ed for its production. The animal now appears in 
all its majfistyj prepared for the battle^ and con- 
tinues thus for a season, when the horns are again 
shed, and he is obliged to skulk in the recesses of 
the forest until they are again replaced. 
The senses of hearing and smelling are both very 
acute in this group, and it is almost impossible to ap- 
proach a herd of Deer down the wind. They are 
very nice in the choice of their food, and will not 
toucli that which has been handled or touched by 
any foreign substance. They inhabit the forest or 
the plain, and in various forms extend from the poles 
to the warmest regions of the world. 
In many of them there is a suborbital sinus, or 
an opening placed below the eye, and called by the 
French “ Larmiers:’ This is sometimes only indi- 
cated by an open or fold, but in others is of a consi- 
derable size, and was thought to communicate with 
the nostrils, and to assist in maintaining the respira- 
tion duiing great exertion or swiftness. It seems, 
however, that the communication exists only through 
the puncta lachryinalia, and that this opening is con- 
nected only with a glandular apparatus — a peculiar 
secretion being largely exuded from them by many 
species. 
The flesh of many is used as food, and much es- 
teemed under the name of Venison ; and strong and 
lasting leather is made from their skins. We shall 
first notice the Elks. 
