APPENDIX 331 



BOOK II 



THE OX FAMILY. — BOVIDjE 



The Bovida, or ox family, is another family of the order Un- 

 gulata, or hoofed animals. The game animals of North America in 

 this family are five in number, from the sportsman's point of view — 

 Bos americanits, the bison ; Otnbos nioschatns, the musk-ox ; Ovis 

 canadensis, the big-horn ; Oreamnos montanus, the mountain goat, and 

 Antilocapra americana, the prong-horn antelope. 



8. The Bison. — Bos americanus. 



The American bison is a large ox-like animal, brown in color, and 

 easily distinguished by the high hump and shaggy head and neck. 

 It has simple, unbranched horns. The bison is usually miscalled 

 buffalo; but the true buffalo has no hump. The largest bison meas- 

 ures five feet eight inches at the shoulder. Estimated weight, 2,100 

 pounds. 



Raftg-e. — Formerly from the British possessions to Mexico and 

 from \'irginia and New York, west to the Rocky Mountains ; most 

 abundant on the great plains. The bison is now practically extinct. 

 There is a small herd in the Yellowstone National Park. 



Note. — There are many bison in captivity in zoological gardens and game- 

 preserves. The bison is easy to raise in captivity, and does well even in the 

 small enclosures in the public gardens. The largest herd is in the game-pre- 

 serve, Blue Mountain Park, New Hampshire — this contains over one hundred 

 animals and is increasing steadily. The largest herd on public exhibition is 

 that of the New York Zoological Park, which in 1903 contained thirty-four head 

 of pure-breed animals representing all ages. These were presented by the 

 late William C. Whitney, from his game-preserve in Massachusetts, October 

 Mountain. 



9. The Musk Ox. — Ovihos mosc/iatus. 



This animal is smaller than the preceding. It is a simple horned 

 animal, and is easily distinguished by its very long hair. Hornaday's 

 description is : " An oblong ma.ss of very long, wavy brown hair, ^% 

 feet high by 6yi, feet long, supported upon very short post-like legs, that 

 are half hidden by the sweeping pelage of the body. The three-inch 

 tail is so very small and short that it is quite invisible. . . . The 

 top of the head is crowned by a pair of horns enormously flattened at 

 the base and meeting each other in the centre line of the forehead." 



Range. — From 64° to the Arctic regions. 



