ARTIODACTYLA. 
349 
It appears that, in the antlers, the deposit of a burr was immediately 
associated with the death of the portion of the horn beyond it, so that it 
disintegrated and disappeared. This was not the case with the beam in 
the specimens observed. Nevertheless, it is probable that the death of the 
horn would be associated with the deposit of the burr in this case also, 
were the conditions the same. What those conditions were we can only 
surmise. It was very probably the death of the integument which invested 
and nourished the horn that produced the result; and this would more 
readily occur in the exposed antlers than in the more protected basal portion 
of the beam. It is very probable that this result would follow blows and 
laceration of the surface received during combat or accidental contact with 
hard substances. The integument would be stripped up to near the junction 
of antlers with each other, or of the beam with the cranium, and the arteries 
would be constricted or closed at those points. It is near these junctions 
that all of the burrs are found. But as such lesion would necessarily be 
less complete at the point where the horn has greatest circumference,.so 
the entire death of the horn might be less usual than that of its branches. 
Should such lesions have occurred for a long period at the breeding-season, 
nature’s effort to repair by redeposit of bony tissue might as readily become 
periodical as the increase in size and activity of the reproductive organs 
and other growths which characterize the breeding-season in many animals. 
The subsequent death of the horn would at some time be followed by its 
shedding by the ordinary process of sloughing. 
Probably other considerations enter into a true comprehension of this 
point, but the above explanation will probably be found to be in the main 
correct. It must be remarked that it is not probable that this genus is the 
immediate ancestor of Cervus, from the fact that the molar teeth display in 
their prismatic form a higher degree of specialization than belongs to that 
genus. It is probable that the true ancestor combined the dental type of 
Cervus, with the distinct roots and short crowns of the molars, with the type 
of horns here described. 
The genus Antilocapra is allied to JDicrocerus in its branched horns, and 
in the hairy dermal covering, which constitutes the immature stage of their 
horny sheath. 
