HUNTING THE MUSK OX. 375 



Hudson's Bay, throughout the distance from Knapp's Bay to 

 Wager Water. They have in a few instances been seen as low 

 down as lat. 60 N. Capt. Parry's people killed some individuals 

 on Melville Island, which were remarkably well fed and fat. 

 They are not commonly found at a great distance from the woods, 

 and when they feed on open grounds they prefer the most rocky 

 and precipitous situations. Yet, notwithstanding their bulk and 

 apparent unwieldiness, they climb among the rocks with all the 

 ease and agility of the goat, to which they are quite equal in sure- 

 ness of foot. Their favorite food is grass, but when this is not to 

 be had, they readily feed upon moss, the twigs of willow, or tender 

 shoots of pine.* 



From the shortness of the limbs, and the weight of the body, it 

 might be inferred that the musk ox could not run with any speed ; 

 but it is stated by Parry, that although they run in a hobbling sort 

 of canter that makes them appear as if every now and then about 

 to fall, yet the slowest of these musk oxen can far outstrip a man. 

 When disturbed and hunted, they frequently tore up the ground 

 with their horns, and turned round to look at their pursuers, but 

 never attempted to make an attack. 



It is singular and well worthy of observation, that the dung of the musk ox, 

 though so lar^e an animal, is not larger than, and, at the same, ia so nearly of the 

 shape and color of that of the Alpine Hare, that the difference is not easily dis- 

 tinguished, except by the Indians, though the quantity generally indicates the 

 animal to which it belonged. In the country adjacent to the Coppermine river, 

 long ridges of this c'ung, together with that of deer and other animals, were seen 

 by Heaine. Similar appearances were observed by Parry on severs a/ 'he North 

 Georgian Islands. 



