290 MOSTLY MAMMALS 



absence of the large flattened, fibrous, and downwardly 

 curving yellow horns, which almost meet in the middle 

 line of the forehead of the adult bull, renders the aspect 

 of the head of the calf very different. In other respects, 

 however, the calves are very like the full-grown animals 

 in general appearance, showing the same long, straight, 

 and rather coarse hair, the conspicuous light-coloured 

 " saddle " on the back, the white *' stockings," the woolly 

 triangular ears, the broad and almost completely hairy 

 muzzle, and the entire burying of the rudimentary tail in 

 the long hair of the hindquarters. Owing, however, to 

 the inferior length of the hair on the flanks, more of the 

 legs is exhibited in the young than in the adult ; and 

 this enables the peculiarly heavy and massive form of the 

 pasterns and feet to be better seen. Nothing was more 

 curious about the calves at Woburn Abbey than their 

 movements, which recalled those of a Polar bear more 

 than those of an ox or a sheep, the hocks being turned 

 outwards in an altogether pecuHar and distinctive manner. 

 If this strange gait is also characteristic of the adult, it is 

 probably adapted for progression on glaciers and other 

 ice-coated surfaces ; firmness of foothold being secured by 

 the presence of a considerable amount of hair on the 

 under-surface of the foot. 



But there is one respect in which the Clavering Island 

 calves differed from the adult specimens exhibited at the 

 time of their arrival in the British Museum, as well as from 

 the description then given of the species. This is the 

 presence of a large patch of white hair on the forehead, 

 as well as of an ill-defined white streak down each side of 

 the face, and some scattered white hairs in the middle line 

 between the muzzle and the eyes. 



As these differences have been found to be constant. 



