the falling off or change of hair, feathers, skin, horns, or other parts of animals, which happens in some annually, in others only at certain stages of their lives; but the generality of beasts mew in the spring. An old hart casts his horns sooner than a young one, which is commonly in the months of February and March: after which they begin to button in March or April: and as the sun grows strong, and the season of the year puts forth the fruits of the earth, so their heads grow, and are summed full by the middle of June. It is to be observed, that if a hart be gelt before he has a head, he will never have any; and if he be gelt after he has a head, he will never cast his horns; again, if he be gelt when he has a velvet head, it will always be so, without fraying or burnishing.