OXEN. 303 



In the morning the wind shifted, and drove us towards 

 some houses, which we saw through the drifting snow ; 

 but though they were not more than thirty feet away, 

 it was quite impossible to make the foolish sheep turn 

 aside. On they went before the wind, in spite of all 

 we could do, and we soon lost, sight of the houses. 

 Their inhabitants, however, had heard the howling of 

 the dogs, and about twenty came to our assistance. 

 We then managed to turn the sheep, and drive them 

 under sheds, and into houses. All the goats and five 

 hundred sheep were lost. Many died after they had 

 got under shelter ; for in their fright they crowded so 

 close together, that they were smothered. Half a verst 

 farther, and we should have come to the coast, rising 

 twenty-five fathoms above the sea.' 



The above gives a lively picture of sufferings which 

 are unknown to us, and in which the dogs seem to have 

 been less efficacious than our own excellent breed. 



OXEN. 



THE widely distributed genus Bos has horns in both 

 sexes, and in it we find the largest of the Ruminantia. 

 They, generally speaking, have comparatively short 

 legs and heavy massive bodies. The perfection of 

 domestic oxen is said to be a resemblance to a box 

 upon four posts, but in some of the wilder species an 

 arched back is certainly a beauty. Their foreheads 

 are very wide, and mostly flat ; their ears large, and 

 projecting from the sides of the head; their muzzle 

 broad, destitute of hair, and always moist. A long 

 ridge passes across the top of the forehead, from which 



