J. Alden Loring

“ How many persons, among the many thousands that annually visit our zoölogical parks, realize, as they pause to admire the noble bucks of the deer family,—particularly the wapiti, or American elk,—that their branching antlers are cast off annually and renewed and well hardened within the short period of seven months? ”

“ The new antlers push off the old ones, and when they appear they resemble scars on the animal’s forehead, but soon take the form of two black-velvet buttons about the size of silver dollars. As they continue to grow they gain in length only, and by the first of July they have attained their full size. If you could examine them now, you would find them soft, rather flexible, nourished by blood, and incased in a thick, tough skin covered with velvety fur. The antlers are now
American Elk, or Wapiti, antlers full-grown. ”