44 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



with very possibly the assistance of a guide and 

 hunter who is thoroughly conversant with all the sur- 

 rounding country. 



English and American sportsmen of the present 

 day are possessed of such courage and perseverance 

 that the rigour of the Arctic regions does not intimi- 

 date them ; or I would not introduce my readers to 

 this animal. 



Why the musk sheep should he designated ox by 

 some persons is to me a mystery. Plainly do its 

 appearance, habits, &c., designate it as a member 

 of the Ovis family, instead of the Bos. However, 

 Blainville, a naturalist of good reputation, to avoid 

 censure, boldly seizes both, and designates it Oc'ibos, 

 thereby claiming a distinct standing and title to 

 the honour of representing a new genus by adopting 

 the sobriquet of two old ones. Audubon does like- 

 wise, and heads his chapters on these animals with 

 the title of " Genus Ovibos." As an authority on- 

 American natural history, the latter is entitled to the 

 highest consideration. At the same time I cannot 

 help feeling that the name adopted is a shuffling pre- 

 text to prevent controversy, and the possibility of 

 making a mistake that in future years would require to 

 be corrected. 



Among the numerous lakes of North America, that 

 are situated on the extreme edge of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains and the barren lands in sixty-four or sixty-five 

 degrees north latitude, the musk sheep (for I must call 

 it so) is occasionally found, but when the traveller pro- 

 gresses farther to the north-west it is no uncommon 

 occurrence in a day's march to see several herds ; in 

 fact, they were so numerous that the camp of a friend 



