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Show horns were shed. In five weeks the process was complete and the animal was in its summer coat. Explanation of Text-fig. 24. A . Head of Stag, taken April 17th, 1903, three weeks and four days after the horns were shed. Length of horns about 5 inches. Extremely vascular and sensitive, the skin of the forehead merging into the " velvety " covering; the burr (e) being indistinct, the bifurcation between frontal tine (a) and bez tine (b) being just apparent. 33. Head of same Stag, taken May 14tli, viz. three weeks and four days afterwards. Here a rapid development is seen to have taken place; the frontal tine (a), bez tine (b), and beam (c) being well divided, a small supernumerary point ( X ) making its appearance at the base of the left horn. Horns still vascular and warm, and covered with thick epidermis or " velvet "- the burr (e) being more definite. C . The same head, taken June 25th, five weeks and four days afterwards. Within this period the most marked development takes place; the frontal (a), bez (b), and trez (c) tines being fully developed, and the apex of the beam (d) splitting up into the characteristic three sur-royals. The velvety covering is now shrinking, and the nutrient blood-vessels can be discerned; the burr (e) is now quite prominent. On July 24th the horns, though still covered with velvet, are quite adult. During August the velvet begins to peel off, and bj' the first week in September the horns are usually clear. 1904.] ON THE YOUNG OF THE EGYPTIAN FAT-TAILED GERBILLE. 133 Mr. Holding also exhibited a fine pair of antlers of the Irish Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) having 14 points, which had been sent to him by Sir Douglas Brooke, Bart., F.Z.S., Co. Fermanagh. They weighed 8 lbs. and were 37 inches in length. Mr. R. I. Pocock, the Superintendent of the Gardens, exhibited living specimens of hairless varieties of the Common House-Mouse (Mus musculus) and Brown Rat (M. decumanus), and remarked that the available evidence seemed to prove that the abnormality was always correlated with a wrinkled skin. The living specimens exhibited further suggested that it was accompanied by weakness of the eyes, and in the case of the Mouse by the absence, or at all events diminution, of the smell so characteristic of that animal. Mr. Pocock also exhibited four young examples, between five and six weeks old, of the Egyptian Fat-tailed Gerbille (Pachy-uromys dupresi), which were born in the Menagerie and reared by hand, owing to the death of the mother when the young were onlv six days old. One of the young had never opened its eyes and would probably be permanently blind. There were five young in the brood, but one had died. Mr. Pocock also showed a |