XI 



THE OX FAMILY 



THE BovidcB or ox family of the naturalists con- 

 tains many genera and species of tlie ungulata 

 or hoofed quadrupeds. These animals are generally 

 termed the hollow-horned ruminants {Cavicornid), the 

 extreme forms being the oxen and the sheep. These 

 are separated widely, but there are many intermediate 

 forms, which are said to make the division into smaller 

 groups a matter of great difficulty. 



There are in North America only five of the holhnv- 

 horned ruminants which interest sportsmen, and until 

 a very few years ago it was not settled that we had 

 five. While the controversy between the naturalists 

 went on, the most important species, the bison or 

 buffalo, which was by far the most numerous, became 

 practically extinct, and the white goat or mountain- 

 goat, whose existence was disputed within the writer's 

 memory, has become well known to sportsmen and 

 naturalists. The five North American species of the 

 order or family Bovida; are : 



The Bison, or Buffalo. 



The Musk-ox, or Musk-sheep. 



The Big-horn, or Mountain-sheep. 



The Mountain-goat, or Wiiite Goat. 



The Prong-horned Antelope, or Prong-buck. 



jC7 



