Barbara Rogers, age 11, of Chesapeake, W. Va., for her question:

WHY DO DEER HAVE ANTLERS?

Among most species of deer only the males grow antlers, although both male and female caribou have them. The knoblike bones on the deer's skull have one chief use: they are weapons which the males use in the fight for mates or for the leadership of the  herd.

Deer that live in both cold and mild climates lose their antlers each winter. New ones start to develop early the next summer. In hot and warm climates, the deer may lose their antlers and grow new ones at other times of the year.

Size and shape of a deer's antlers depend on the animal's age and health. A first set will grow when the deer is 7 or 2 years old and will usually be short and somewhat straight. The antlers grow longer and larger and form branches as the deer grows older.