The animal kingdom, arranged after its organization : forming a natural history of animals, and an introduction to comparative anatomy . -pouch, [and constitute the Trapuhis of Bennett]. They inhabit the warm partsof the eastern hemisphere, and are the smallest and most elegant of the Rimiuantia. Such are M. pi/gnueus,Buff.; M. memina, Schreb.; and , Buff. All the other Ruminants, at least of the male sex, have two Jiorns ; that is to say, two pro-minences of the frontal bones, more or less long, which occur in no other group of animals. In soine, these prominences are covered v^ith
The animal kingdom, arranged after its organization : forming a natural history of animals, and an introduction to comparative anatomy . -pouch, [and constitute the Trapuhis of Bennett]. They inhabit the warm partsof the eastern hemisphere, and are the smallest and most elegant of the Rimiuantia. Such are M. pi/gnueus,Buff.; M. memina, Schreb.; and , Buff. All the other Ruminants, at least of the male sex, have two Jiorns ; that is to say, two pro-minences of the frontal bones, more or less long, which occur in no other group of animals. In soine, these prominences are covered v^ith an elastic sheath, formed as it were of agglu-tinated hair, which continues to increase by layers during life. The name of horn is appliedto the substance of this sheath, and tlie sheath itself is termed the core. The pro-minence which it envelopes grows with it during life, and never falls. Such are the horns ofcattle, as Oxen, Sheep, Goats, and Antelopes. In others, the prominences are only covered with a hairy skin, continuous with that of thehead: these prominences do not fall; and the Giraffes afford the only example. DEEJli. Wapiti . RUMINANTIA. 137 Finally, in the genus of Stags, the prominences, covered for a while with a hairy skin likethe other parts of the head, liave at their base a ring of bony tubercles, which, as they enlarge,compress and obliterate the nutritive vessels of that skin, [commonly termed the velvet] Itbecomes dry, and is thrown off: the bony prominences, being laid bare, at the expiration ofa certain period separate from the skull to which they w ere attached; they fall, and theanimal remains defenceless. Others, however, are reproduced, generally larger than before,which are destined to undergo the same fate. These horns, purely osseous, and subject tojHriodical changes, are styled antlers. The Stags {Cervus, Lin.)—Are consequently ruminants which have heads armed with antlers; but, if we except the Rein Deer,the females in no instance possess t
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840, booksubjecta, booksubjectzoology
