THE RUMINANT ORDER. 
291 
Every year, at a certain time, that is, immediately after the 
young are produced, the antlers fall off, and in growing again 
acquire an additional branch, up to the date when they attain the 
limit of maturity peculiar to each species. 
The falling off and periodical renewal of these bony, highly 
developed excrescences, is really a very curious phenomenon. It 
seems as if it ought to take several years for the horns to regain, 
as they do, equal or even larger dimensions than their prede- 
cessors; nevertheless, they shoot out all complete in the space 
of a few weeks. Still, the explanation of this fact is simple 
enough. The skin which covers the base of the antlers of this 
animal is traversed by a large number of blood-vessels, which 
supply the phosphate of lime necessary to solidify the bony 
parts. Up to the time when the antler has acquired the full 
growth which it is to attain in each year, this skin continues 
to receive the requisite flow of blood; it retains, in fact, its 
living action. But as soon as the growth is complete, and the 
ossification finished, the burrs increase in size, strangulate the 
vessels, and stop the flow of the alimentary fluid. This skin 
then withers and comes away from the antler, which, thus laid 
bare and no longer receiving nourishment, gradually wastes 
away or decays, and falls off at the end of a few months, again 
making its appearance in the approaching season. 
Except in the Reindeer, among Ruminants it is the ex- 
clusive attribute of the males to shed their antlers. There can 
be no doubt that some relation exists between the generative 
organs and these adornments ; for they fall off after the breeding 
season, and their duration might doubtless be prolonged by means 
of castration. It is probable that the various functions devolving 
on the female, such as gestation, parturition, and giving suck, 
divert the nourishing fluids from the head and concentrate them 
in other organs, and this is the physiological cause which deprives 
the weaker sex of antlers. A fact which confirms this likely 
hypothesis, is that antlers are often seen in barren females. 
Nearly all the members of this family are remarkable for the 
elegance of their shape, the dignity of their attitudes, the grace 
and vivacity of their movements, the slenderness of their limbs, 
and the sustained rapidity of their flight. They have a very short 
tail ; moderately sized and pointed ears ; their nostrils are generally 
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