﻿324 MUSK-OXEN. Sept. 



roared, struck the ground forcibly with his fore 

 feet, and seemed to be hesitating whether to charge 

 or not. Our sportsmen drew themselves up for 

 the expected shock, and were by no means sorry 

 when he again wheeled round, and was, in a few 

 seconds, seen climbing a steep and snow-clad moun- 

 tain side, in the rear of his musky kine. 



These animals inhabit the hilly, barren grounds, 

 between the Welcome and the Copper Mountains, 

 from the sixty-third or sixty-fourth parallels to 

 the Arctic Sea, and northwards to Parry's Islands, 

 or as far as European research has yet extended. 

 They travel from place to place in search of pas- 

 ture, but do not penetrate deep into the wooded 

 districts, and are able to procure food in winter 

 on the steep sides of hills which are laid bare by 

 the winds, and up which they climb with an 

 agility which their massive aspect would lead one 

 ignorant of their habits to suppose them to be 

 totally incapable of. In size they are nearly equal 

 to the smallest Highland or Orkney Icyloes ; but 

 they are more compactly made, and the shaggy 

 hair of their flanks almost touches the ground. 

 In structure they differ from the domestic ox, in 

 the shortness and strength of the bones of the 

 neck, and length of the dorsal processes which 

 support the ponderous head. The swelling bases 

 of the horns spread over the foreheads of both 



