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Show 1894.] IN" T HE ANTLERS OF THE FALLOW DEER. 489 antler put up in the next year is not recorded. The antlers are of course normal. 1558 and 1559. Antlers in the fifth and sixth year of a buck " from which the testes, but not the spermatic cords, had been removed soon after it was born." I do not understand this statement, since the spermatic cords are never " removed " in castration, but at most their lower ends. It may perhaps mean that the testis was simply cut away from the epididymis ; in this case I cannot help fancying that some part of the testis must have escaped the operation, for the antlers are perfectly normal. They were formed and shed annually; but they are slightly smaller, were retained longer, and retained their velvet longer than those of entire bucks. The specimens, as they stand with their present label, are in direct contradiction to all the other specimens of this series, and are probably an example of the same result as the next specimen (1557). 1557. Antler of a specimen from which the half of each testicle had been removed soon after birth (fig. 6). The general development of the antler is normal, but much slighter than in the entire buck; as the palm is narrow, the three points appear unusually long. The antler was shed after the fourth year. Measurements: burr to tip, along the curve, 18| in. The remaining specimen of this collection has the same history as that of M r . Wallace. 1567. Cranium and antlers of a buck, " from which the left testis had been removed, showing a corresponding arrest of development of the left antler." " Tiie velvet was retained longer than usual on both antlers." The right antler (fig. 7) is that of a full-grown buck, showing not more than the usual individual variation in the points. The left one (fig. 8) is very short, carries a rudimentary brow-tyne, and is curved backwards over the parietals. Measurements : right antler, burr to tip, along the curve, 20^ in. ; left antler, same measurement, 5£ in. Mr. Wallace's specimen (fig. 9) is stated also to be from a "rig," or half-gelding. The right, antler is slightly developed, but shows a very great abnormality; it has brow- and tray-tynes and three points, of which the lowest is further inwards towards the middle line than is usual except in old heads. The left antler has a well-developed brow, a bifurcating (? tray-) tyne, and a thin beam. Measurements : left antler, burr to tip along the curve 11^ in.; brow 5 in. ; tray to bifurcation 2£ in., its forks 3^ in., 2f in. respectively : right antler 14 in. The tradition of the head is to the effect that in this case the right testis, i. e. that of the side opposite to the abnormal antler, was removed. Summary of the foregoing specimens :- 1. Complete castration at birth may result in the formation of simple dags (1555,1556). Three other specimens (1563,1569, 1566) resemble these, but the age at castration is not stated. 2. Castration late in life is recorded of only one specimen (1565). There is great asymmetry in the antlersl, the one being of a 1 It is of course not always easy to castrate an adult completely, and a small portion of testis may have been left on this side (cf. 1567, and Mr. Wallace's specimen and Russell's Exper. iii.). But even if castration have been completely effected, the presence of spermatozoa in greater quantity in one epididymis or vas deferens may be sufficient to affect that side; I am informed that in horses gelded late in life (e.g. funeral horses, in which the operation is deferred in order to obtain the crest) the temper is as bad as or worse than in a stallion, until they have been put to a mare-an observation which shows the marked effect of the mere presence of spermatozoa in the vas deferens upon the organism. |
