RUMINATING ANIMALS. 95 



produced, affording a thick and warm covering, and 

 affording that most useful kind of it denominated 

 wool. In some, as the sheep, the whole covering 

 partakes of this structure : in others, as many of 

 the arctic deer, it becomes the ground or root only. 

 In the true deer, again, the hair is of a crisp struc- 

 ture, but is very close and thick ; while in many of 

 the antelopes which inhabit the sandy tracts of Africa, 

 the hair is remarkably scanty, affords no covering, 

 and is no encumbrance amidst the heat, and the co- 

 lour of the animals is represented by that of the skin, 

 which becomes changed almost immediately after 

 death. 



In geographical distribution the ruminating animals 

 are spread over nearly the whole world New Hol- 

 land, and some of the South Sea islands, alone be- 

 ing without them. The great mass of the family is 

 comprised in the deer and antelopes, and are princi- 

 pally distributed over India, Africa, and the Ame- 

 ricas. In these countries, they lead lives wilh very 

 different habits. In India and America, where the 

 true deer principally abound, they frequent the thick- 

 est jungle, and umbrageous forest. There they re- 

 ceive shelter from the sun, lie lazily in the shade 

 during the heats of the day, and wander during the 

 cool of evening to the outskirts and open glades in 

 search of food and water. In Africa, where we have 

 the antelopes chiefly, innumerable herds people her 

 deserts, mingled with the zebra and ostrich, without 

 a shelter, and delighting, as it were, in the heats Oi 



