Elliot New Mammals. 137 



toward its anterior end, being somewhat the shape of an arrowhead di 

 vested of its point, while the same bone in the other two forms preserves 

 an equal width for nearly the entire length. The basisphenoid and pres- 

 phenoid are also narrower in the new form. The foramen ovale, and fora 

 men lacerum anterius are both larger and more widely open than are those 

 in the forms compared, and the foramen rotundum is also larger. 



Color. Type, bull in prime of life. A narrow whitish band between 

 ears, behind the bosses of the horns, and a small brown saddle on middle 

 of back ; rest of head, neck and body, jet black. Fore legs grayish in 

 front, black behind changing into grayish white above the hoofs ; hind 

 legs black in front, becoming gray above hoof; grayish on sides and hinder 

 part. Long black hairs on body covering the legs to the knees. Nose and 

 lips and chin grayish white; ears black. 



The young ball, female, and calves resemble the type in their jet black hue 

 and in the vary ing color of the legs. The old bull is of a dark brown hue be 

 coming black upon the flanks, but no white whatever showing anywhere. 

 The old cow is of the same general color as the aged bull, but has a little 

 white upon the sides of the nose. 



Measurements. Skull : Total length, 430 ; occipito-nasal length, 355 ; 

 greatest breadth across orbits, 245 ; median length of nasals, 121 ; greatest 

 width posteriorly, 64; anterior width (at tips), 13; zygomatic width, 168; 

 palatal arch to end of premaxillae, 249 ; greatest width of palatal floor be 

 tween fourth premolars, 76; length of horn core from edge on top of head to 

 tip, 230; length of upper tooth row, alveolar border outer side, 140 ; posterior 

 width of basioccipital, 62 ; anterior width in front of bullse, 32; length of 

 mandible, 345 ; length of lower tooth row, alveolar border outer side, 145. 



Remarks. Comparison of skulls has been made between specimens of 

 0. moschatus from north of Great Slave Lake and one of 0. m. wardi 

 brought from Bache Peninsula, west side of Kane Basin, by Commander 

 Peary, kindly loaned to me by Dr. J. A. Allen of the New York Museum. 

 These with the skulls of 0. m. niphcecus were from bulls of about the same 

 age. 



Shortly after my return from the expedition into Africa in 1896, I re 

 ceived information that twelve specimens of musk-ox had arrived at NBW 

 Bedford, Mass., and I at once sent the Taxidermist of the Museum to see 

 them and report upon their condition. The report being favorable, the 

 twelve were purchased and brought to the Museum. The account given of 

 these individuals by Mr. Luce of Thomas Luce & Cq. of New Bedford, was, 

 that on a previous voyage of one of their whaling ships, the firm, having 

 decided to try to obtain some musk-oxen, directed the captain to make 

 arrangements with the Eskimos for their capture, and ammunition and 

 supplies for the hunt were provided. This was done, and on the next 

 trip, carrying the necessary desiderata, the ship was met at a point on the 

 coast (the exact locality unknown to me) by the Eskimos, who, on receiving 

 the supplies, departed for the interior, agreeing to meet the ship at the 

 same place on its return south in the autumn, with such skins as they 

 might have been successful enough to secure. On the ship's arrival in the 

 autumn the Eskimos were at the place appointed with the skins of twelve 



