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Show 306 SIR V. BROOKE ON CERVUS SCHOMBURGKI. [Mar. 7, sions, which remain, with their velvety periosteum, persistent during the remainder of the animal's life. The two former of these propositions I have myself verified by experiment; the third I must, for the present, take upon the authority of former experimenters*, and upon the assurance of Mr. Sawyer, Head Keeper of the Royal Park at Richmond, who, some years ago, informed me that he had very frequently tried this experiment for himself and invariably with the same result. From the almost perfectly normal outline and dimensions of these abnormal horns of Cervus schomburgki it is, I think, evident that they are referable to a deer castrated whilst in " hard horn." Their exostosed superficial surface, in which their abnormality consists, is accounted for by the supposition that the velvety periosteum being in full connexion (as it was possibly for some years) with the circulatory system, continued to perform, probably in a sluggish and irregular manner, its proper physiological function, the deposit of osseous matter, thus giving rise to a slowly increasing exostosis, in which the external arterial and venal canals became more and more deeply imbedded. At the same time the great density and weight of the horns seems to indicate that this external deposit of osseous matter was accompanied by an internal deposit which gradually. obliterated tbe cancellous tissue of the centre of the horn. The form of horns described as characterise of Cervus schomburgki in the following diagnosis is based on the examination of numerous specimens, including the types ; the external coloration and body-measurements upon the adult male specimen preserved in the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle at Paris. This specimen was sent by M . Bocourt from Siam in 1868, and is that mentioned by Mr. Blyth (P. Z. S. 1867, p. 835), and later by Mr. Sclater (Trans. Z. S. vol. vii. p. 349). The comparative measurements of Cervus schomburgki, Cervus duvaucelii (Cuv.), and Cervus eldi (auct. anon.) are taken from the frontlet and horns of the adult male Cervus schomburgki (fig. 1) above mentioned and from very fine skulls of Cervus duvaucelii and Cervus eldi in m y own collection. CERVUS SCHOMBURGKI (Blyth). Adult male.-Antlers with very long powerful brow-antlers, which are frequently forked; beam very short, and more or less laterally compressed, upper part of the antlers strictly dichotomous, each of the main branches about equally developed, and in itself dichotomous, and furnished with lung cylindrical tines. External surface of the antlers smooth and polished. Hair in winter rather long and coarse. General colour uniform brown, darkest on the nose and upper surface of the tail, and lightest on the cheeks and lower parts of the sides and haunches. Lower lip, belly, and under surface of the tail whitish. Upper lip, occiput, and limbs with a decided tinge * See a curious old work to which Prof. Eolleston bas lately called my attention, entitled ' The Economy of Nature in Acute and Chronical Diseases of tbe Glands,' by Dr. Richard Pussoll fpp. 21-24). |
