TIO NATURAL HISTORY ESSAYS 



musk oxen wheel into a circle, presenting at every 

 point nothing but a broad rampart of horned heads. 

 A too venturesome wolf is suddenly caught on the 

 horns of the leader is whirled up into the air, and 

 lies gasping on the earth with a broken spine. This 

 attack, however, is too much for the nerves of the 

 musk oxen ; panic seizes the herd, and they file off 

 in flight, the oldest bulls covering the retreat. 

 Drawn upon the top of a ridge, the musk oxen stand 

 for one moment to look back on the excited 

 pursuers ; then all disappear together down the 

 opposite side. 



Silence. Then a movement in the pine forest. 

 The clamour of the wolves has disturbed the 

 mammoth. Bunched up under a huge pine 

 tree, this cluster suddenly dissolves with a hurried 

 scrambling movement, like the outpouring of 

 ants from a disturbed nest. Noiselessly they seek 

 safer quarters, coming out into the moonlight huge 

 elephants, powerful, majestic, impressive, and clothed 

 in a thick shaggy garment of hair and wool. With 

 the moonlight glancing silvery on their enormous 

 tusks, and their breath rising frosty in the biting 

 air they pass up silently along the wooded heights. 



