KETURN OF THE MUSK OXEN — JACKSON 383 



musk ox come into play as it paws away the snow to obtain its food. 

 At this season it quenches its thirst by eating snow, since all fresh water 

 is frozen over. 



AGGRESSIVENESS OF BULLS IN SUMMER 



The bulls become rather pugnacious during the summer, and fre- 

 quent battles ensue between them. Hoare describes a combat which 

 he watched : 



About 9 o'clock on the night of June 26, I was resting my pack on a big rock 

 about 3 miles up Hansbury River when I saw 3 large musk oxen feeding on a hay 

 meadow across the river from where I was. They had not seen me so I quickly 

 got behind the rock and went into camp by getting into my sleeping sack. From 

 there I could watch them comfortably without being seen. After some little time 

 two of the three animals stopped feeding, walked out of the wet meadow to 

 some higher dry ground and began circling one another with lowered heads, as 

 if for battle. Each then placed its heavy, horn-protected head against that of 

 its opponent and tried to force it back by main strength. After a short while 

 of this, with little success to either side, each animal backed away a few paces, 

 and ran with lowered head at the other. They came together with considerable 

 shock. Three times they met, with little advantage to either. Then each 

 backed away until they were about 25 paces apart. In their new positions they 

 stood glaring at each other for a few moments, then, as if at a given signal, each 

 bounded at the other on the same instant, gathering speed at they went, and 

 met with such impact that both were knocked back some distance, one on his 

 haunches. The victor stood in fighting attitude for a short while, then, receiving 

 no further opposition from the vanquished, went and lay down. The other soon 

 followed suit. The third musk ox which seemed to be larger than either of the 

 other two, seemed to pay not the slightest attention to the battle but went on 

 feeding in the meadow. 



During the breeding season in August the males are particularly 

 combative, and fight each other for control of the females. They do 

 not breed until 4 years old. As with some of the other herding mam- 

 mals, polygamy is the rule, and each successful bull has a harem of 

 about 10 cows. Sometimes 2 or 3 bulls with their harems gather to- 

 gether into one herd of 30 animals. 



BIRTH AND GROWTH OF YOUNG 



The baby musk ox is born in May or early in June, and lies for a 

 while hidden in moss or snow. One calf to a mother every other year 

 seems to be the rule. Blackish brown except for a white patch on its 

 forehead and white feet, it is a curious little fellow covered with 

 fuzzy hair or wool. At birth it weighs only about 16 pounds, but at 

 that it is well developed and within a few hours follows its mother. 



When the calf is 6 months old, little knobs that form on the fore- 

 head indicate the beginning of the horns. By the time a male is 15 

 months old these knobs have grown into straight horns about 6 inches 

 long that protrude parallel with the ground. As the horns continue 



