40 



THE DISEASES AND DISORDERS OF THE OX. 



periosteum, and they contain sinuses and large canals and also 

 foramina, through which pass arteries and veins. The horns of 

 oxen may be used as very formidable weapons of attack, and 

 they are, in fact, often used with terrible efifect. They must be 

 securely based on the frontal bone, and, indeed, they may be 

 looked upon as continuations of that bone. The forehead 

 of the bull is considerably shorter and also broader than that 

 of the cow or bullock. In the case of some hornless cattle 



Fig. 2. — Ox's Head— Antekior Face 

 1. Mastoid process. 2. Supra-orbital foramen. 3. Zygoma. 4. Lachrymal 

 bone. 5. Maxillaiy spine. 6. Inferior orifice of the supermaxillo-dental canal. 

 (Chauveau.) 



the frontal bones begin to contract a little above the eyes, 

 and end in a rather narrow ridge at the top of the head. How- 

 ever, even these cattle use their heads aggressively, and some- 

 times butt one another with very great violence. Now, if the 

 brain were situated immediately beneath the bone, the concussion 

 might not unfrequently be highly dangerous, and even fatal. 

 Hence the frontal portion of the skull is composed of two plates 

 separated from each other at least an inch at all places, and in 

 some parts more than two inches, by numerous vacuities, and 



