ON NORTH AMERICAN ZOOLOGY. 161 



from the true antelopes, and, if it be considered as belonging to 

 a distinct genus (dicranocerus) , it is the only generic form of 

 this order found in North America which does not exist also in 

 Europe, unless a second be found in ovihos moschatus, sepa- 

 rated from bos. The capra americana and ovis montana in- 

 habit the Rocky Mountains from Mexico to the northern ex- 

 tremity of the range, and also the maritime Alps of California 

 and New Caledonia, the former confining itself to the higher 

 ridges. The musk-ox is peculiar to the barren lands, travelling 

 in summer over the ice to Parry's Islands ; but though it has 

 this high range, it does not exist either in Asia or Greenland. 

 The chief residence of the bison {hos Americanus) is on the 

 . prairie lands, east of the Rocky Mountains ; it frequents the 

 woods also up to the 62iid parallel, but nowhere approaches 

 within 600 miles of Hudson's Bay. Though this animal is at 

 present rarely ever seen to the eastward of the Mississippi, it 

 is said to have formerly frequented Pennsylvania and Kentucky, 

 but the authority for its ever having ranged to the Atlantic 

 coast is by no means good. It does not exist in New Cale- 

 donia, though it has crossed the eastern crest of the Rocky 

 Mountains further south, to the headwaters of the south branch 

 of the Columbia ; but even in that latitude it does not advance 

 towards the coast, a spur of the Californian Alps* (or " a coun- 

 terfort" connecting them with the Rocky Mountains), which 

 skirts the Snake River, or south branch of the Columbia, oifer- 

 ing apparently an effectual barrier to its further progress west- 

 ward. In the fur countries it does not go to the eastward of 

 the 97th meridianf. 



Ord. CETACEA. 



As the cetacea traverse the depths of the ocean in pursuit of 

 their prey, it is highly probable that many species are common 

 to the same parallels of the New and Old World. Those that 

 frequent the Greenland seas are at least entitled to be enume- 

 rated among the animals both of Europe and America ; and in 

 like manner the cetacea of the North Pacific and sea of Kam- 

 schatka are common to the latter country and to Asia ; but the 

 animals of this order are so imperfectly known that we cannot 

 give the correct geographical distribution of even a single species. 



* Named the " Blue Mountains". 



t Horned cattle thrive well in America. They were introduced into Upper 

 California about 70 years ago, and in 1827 the Missions, according to Dr. 

 Coulter, possessed upwards of 300,000 head, 60,000 being annually slaughtered 

 to keep down the stock. They are multiplying also very fast on the banks of 

 the Columbia, where they have lately been introduced by the Hudson's Bay 

 Company. 



VOL. V. 1836. M 



