356 On the Musk Ox, 



and neither the northern Indians nor the Crees have an oriofinal 

 name for it, both terming- it Bison with an additional epithet." 



Sir Joha Richardson, who had the best opportunities of coming 

 at the truth, informs us that the country frequented by the musk 

 ox is mostly rocky, and destitute of wood, except on the banks 

 of the larger rivers, which are more or less thickly clothed with 

 spruce trees. Their food, he tells us, is similar to that of the 

 caribou, G-rass at one season and lichens at another ; and the 

 contents of its paunch are eaten by the natives with the same 

 relish as that with which they devour the " nerrooks " of the car- 

 ibou. The dung is voided in round pellets, which are larger than 

 those which come from the caribou. The animal runs fast, short 

 as are its legs, and hills and rocks are easily climbed by this ox 

 of the northern deserts. One pursued by Richardson's party on 

 the banks of the Coppermine River scaled a lofty sand- cliff with 

 so great a declivity that they were obliged to crawl on hand 

 and knees to follow the chase. The musk oxen assemble in herds 

 of from twenty to thirty, are in their rut about the end of August 

 and beo"inning of September, and bring forth one calf about the 

 latter end of May or beginning of June. Hearne accounts for the 

 few bulls which are seen by supposing that they kill each other in 

 their contest for the cows. 



Richardson thus graphically describes the terror of a huddled 



}]iQY^ : — " If the hunters keep themselves concealed when they fire 



upon a herd of musk oxen, the poor animals mistake the noise for 



thunder, and, forming themselves into a gToup, crowd nearer and 



nearer together, as their companions fall around them ; but should 



they discover their enemies by sight, or by their sense of smelly 



which is very acute, the whole herd seek for safety by instant 



flight. The bulls, however, are very irascible, and, particularly 



when wounded, will often attack the hunter, and endanger his life, 



unless he possesses both activity and presence of mind. The 



Esquimaux, who are well accustomed to the pursuit of this animal, 



sometimes turn its irritable disposition to good account ; for an 



expert hunter having provoked a bull to attack him, wheels round 



it more quickly than it can turn, and by repeated stabs in the 



belly puts an end to its life." 



Mr. Jeremie, who first brought the animal into notice, carried 

 some of its wool to France, where some stockings were made of 

 it said to have been equal to the finest silk. Sir John Richard- 

 son says that this wool resembles that of the Bison, but is perhaps 



