This a great gift for the man in you life. This pen is perfect for anyone interested in Civil War history. The clip is a model of the 1861 Springfield Musket. The cap is a replica of the .58 Caliber Minie Ball and the end simulates the .44 Colt Army Bullet. This pen comes in a Mini Black Gun Case gift box if you like for no extra charge. The pen takes a standard Parker refill.
ELK ANTLERS
Antlers are extensions of the skull grown by members of the deer and antelope family. They are true bone structures that usually grow in symmetrical pairs. In most species, only the male grows antlers and their primary function is to increase his likelihood of sexual selection by attracting females or helping him fight other males. In many temperate zones species, antlers are shed and regrown each year.
Each antler grows from an attachment point on the skull called a pedicle. While an antler is growing, it is covered with highly vascular skin called velvet, which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the growing bone. Antlers are considered one of the most exaggerated cases of male secondary sexual traits in the animal kingdom, and grow faster than any other mammal bone. Growth occurs at the tip, and is initially cartilage, which is later replace by bone tissue. Once the antler has achieved its full size, the velvet is lost and the antler's bone dies. This dead bone structure is the mature antler. In most cases, the bone at the base is destroyed by osteoclasts and the antlers fall off at some point. After the breeding season in late fall, the level of pheromones released during estrus declines in the environment and the testosterone levels of males drop as a consequence. This drop in testosterone leads to the shedding of antlers, usually in the early winter.