OCR Text |
Show 1876.] SIR V. BROOKE ON CERVUS SCHOMBURGKI. 305 this fine species. The entire external surface of the abnormal horns (fig. 2) is covered with dense nodular exostosis, intersected by deep furrows, which adds greatly to their circumference, and gives to the extremities of the tines a blunt rounded outline, xi section through the centre of one of the tines shows no line of demarcation between the external and internal portions of the horn, the same remarkable density pervading the whole ; hence the very great weight of the horns, which is nearly double that of the normal pair. Abnormal antlers of C. schomburgki. There can, I think, be no doubt that this abnormal condition has been the result of injury to the testes of the deer to whom these horns belonged-many specimens, affected by a similar exostosis, which exist in m y own and public collections having been the direct result of castration. Though much still remains to be ascertained by carefully conducted experiment and observation before an exact and exhaustive knowledge of the effects of injuries to the testes of deer upon their antlers can be obtained, the three following propositions may, I think, be considered as resting upon a moderately firm ba^is. (1) If a deer is perfectly castrated within the first six months of his life, no antlers are ever developed. (2) If castrated during the growth of his antlers, their growth in a natural direction is immediately arrested, and the velvet is retained during life, the horns frequently assuming very varied monstrous forms. (3) The castration of a deer with fully grown antlers free from velvet, causes the premature fall of these antlers, which are immediately replaced by a pair of antlers of normal or subnormal external outline and dimen- PROC. ZOOL. SOC-1876, No. XX. 20 |