Forms: 7 bezantelier, beas antlier, beantler, 7–9 bez-antler, bezantler, 8–9 bes-antler, 9 bees-antler, bis-antler. [f. bez-, BES- secondary + ANTLER. A word of unfixed form, also called bay antler, and varied as bay-, bez-, beze-tyne.] The second branch or ‘start’ of a deer’s horn, next above the brow-antler (or antler proper).
1598. Manwood, Lawes Forest, iv. § 6 (1615), 46. The Brow-antlier, or Beasantlier.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, III. xiv. (1660), 168. Skilfull Woodmen describing the head of a Hart do call the Next above there unto [i.e., the Browanteliers] … Bezanteliers.
[1611. Cotgr., Surandoillier, the beankler or second branch of a Deeres head. Ibid., Surentouiller … the Beancler of a Bucke.]
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., I. 11. With little branches and twigs (like Bezanteliers) springing out of them.
1678. Phillips (App.), Bezantler, the … next branch of the Harts-horn to Browantler, which is the lowest.
1855. Owen, Vertebr. An. (1868), III. 618. Its branches are the ‘tynes’ … the first or lowest branch is the ‘brow-tyne,’ the second is the ‘beze’ or ‘bez tyne.’
1874. T. Bell, Brit. Quadrup., 349. The branches or antlers … as the brow-antler, bezantler, and royal.
1884. Jefferies, Red Deer, iv. 71. Above the ‘burr’ came the brow-antlier, now the brow-point; next the bez-antlier, now the bay.
