CHAPTER VI. 



THIS animal is found in the frozen regions of North 

 America, and particularly according to Hearne in 

 the neighbourhood of the polar circle. He is with- 

 out a muzzle, which circumstance has induced Blanville 

 to separate him from the ox species, and to classify 

 him separately, under the name of Ovibos. He is 

 small in size and very low on his legs, and covered 

 with an enormous quantity of wool and dark-brown 

 hair, which in winter reaches almost to the ground. 

 On his back there is a whitish place, which is called 

 the saddle. Large horns, flattened at the base, cover 

 his head like a kind of casque ; they are enormous, 

 and are said to weigh almost fifty pounds. It derives 

 its name from the odour which its flesh exhales at 

 certain epochs, and especially at the beginning of 

 spring. This odour is so strong that it communi- 

 cates itself to the knives with which the flesh is 



