ARCTIC MUSK OX 
7 
the Old World. Yet in Europe it penetrated as far as England 
and France in Pleistocene times, having apparently reached 
these countries from an eastward direction. While the rein¬ 
deer occurs even in southern Greenland, the musk ox 
frequents only the north and east of that country. 
According to Dr. Conwentz, it has only wandered east¬ 
ward from the north coast of Greenland in recent times. 
At any rate, Professor Nathorst alleges that Scoresby, in the 
year 1822, did not observe it in the neighbourhood of the 
Sound which bears his name, though it is now found there. 
Nevertheless, the discovery of some very ancient skulls 
between the seventieth and seventy-fifth degrees of latitude 
on the same coast make it probable that the musk ox lived 
in that region in more remo'te times, afterwards becoming 
extinct only to advance once more to its former habitat in 
recent times.* 
The musk ox to most observers has appeared to be subject to 
little variation. Mr. Lydekker, however, described a form 
from eastern Greenland (Ovibos moschatus wardi) with a 
whitish face-patch and lighter general colouration, which 
Dr. Allen f has since raised to specific rank, showing that it 
also differed from the type in the structure of the horns and 
hoofs. The latter likewise pointed out that it was not con¬ 
fined to Greenland, but inhabited also Ellesmere and Grinnell 
Land. 
Another form of musk ox, an almost black one, from the 
far north of Canada, was first noticed and described by Mr. 
Elliot. A renewed examination of musk ox skins and skulls 
was recently undertaken by Dr. KowarzikJ with rather re¬ 
markable results. He recognises two strikingly distinct 
groups of musk oxen, a western and an eastern group, 
characterised by very important osteological and external 
features, which had apparently escaped the attention of pre¬ 
vious observers. In a private letter he admitted to me 
that the musk ox must have originated in North America, 
Bootherium being probably its direct ancestor. Yet he is 
evidently inclined to believe that, after spreading by way of 
* Conwentz, “ Verbreitung d. Moschusochsen,” pp. 429—431. 
t Allen, J. A., “ Musk-Oxen of Arctic America,” p. 76. 
| Kowarzik, B., “ Der Moschusochs,” p. 120. 
