STAG. 
19? 
begins to harden at the bottom while the upper 
part remains soft, and still continues growing ; 
from whence it appears that the horns grow dif- 
ferently in deer from those of sheep or cows ; in 
which they are always seen to increase from the 
bottom. However, when the w hole head has re- 
ceived its full growth, the extremities then begin 
to acquire their solidity ; the velvet covering, or 
bark, with its blood-vessels, dry up, and then 
begin to fall ; and this the animal hastens, by 
rubbing its antlers against every tree it meets. 
In this manner, the whole external surface being 
stripped off by degrees, at length the whole head 
acquires its complete hardness, expansion and 
beauty. 
It would be a vain task to inquire into the 
cause of the annual production of these horns ; 
it is sufficient to observe, that if a stag be castra- 
ted when its horns are fallen off they will never 
grow again ; and, on the contrary, if the same 
operation be performed when they are on, they 
will never fall off. If only one of his tes- 
ticles are taken out, he will want the horn on that 
side ; if one of the testicles only be tied up, he 
will want the hern of the opposite side. The 
increase of their provision also tends to facilitate 
the growtii and the expansion of the horns ; and 
M. Buffon thinks it possible to retard their: 
growth entirely by greatly retrenching their food. 
As a proof of this, nothing can be more obvious 
than the difference between a stag bred in fertile 
pastures and undisturbed by the hunter, and one 
often pursued and ill-nourished. The former has 
his head expanded, his antlers numerous, and the 
branches thick the latter has but few antlers, 
the traces of the blood-vessels upon them are but 
slight, and the expansion but little. The beauty 
stnd size of their horns, therefore, mark tlieiy 
