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A few weeks after the breeding season is over, the antlersare shed, leaving this erstwhile proud and lordly buck withouthis crowning glory; he is now no more impressive than hisadolescent son. A few weeks after this (about early Spring)the buck begins to grow a new set of antlers. But these newantlers very little resemble the streamlined rack he so latelylost. The new antlers are spongy, filled with blood vessels,very sensitive and covered with a velvet like skin which, inits turn, is covered with very fine hair. These new racks growrather rapidly, developing the main beams and the tines aris-ing from them. By late Summer the new antlers will havereached their maximum size. They do not look much likeantlers; they always remind me of certain cacti. |
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