158 



MAMMALIA. BOVID.E. 



tion of naturalists to so interesting a structure (fig. 55) . 

 Here we have an intestinal gland, made up as it were 

 of from fifteen to twenty little pouches, combined to 

 form a beautiful network of cells, seven of them bearing 

 no inconsiderable resemblance to the water-carrying 

 reservoirs of the reticulum. These latter have a depth 

 of from three to four lines, whilst the remainder are 

 more or less incomplete ; and those farthest from the 

 ileo-colic orifice are mere depressions, the walls of 

 separation being scarcely elevated from the surface. 

 In other ruminants the only peculiarity affecting the 

 alimentary canal, which is worthy of notice, consists in 

 the remarkable lengthening of the intestinal tube gene- 

 rally, and in the bulky development of Ibe coecum. 

 There are some curious modifications oi stiucture to 

 be seen in the liver and gall-bladder; but these dis- 

 tinctions will be more appropriately indicated when 

 comparing and describing the several characteristics of 

 the cameline and cervine families. 



The skeletal characters are tolerably uniform through- 

 out the order, except in so far as they relate to mere 

 size and strength, and to the presence or absence of 

 those remarkable cranial outgrowths, commonly called 

 horns. We shall treat of the latter structures when 

 specially considering the horned families. Meanwhile 

 we take occasion to notice, that whatever be the length 

 of the vertebral column, we invariably find the bones 

 of the neck to be only seven in number; and the 

 beauty of this law, though previously mentioned as 

 affecting the entire mammalian series, cannot be more 

 cogently illustrated than by comparing the long-necked 

 camels and giraffe with the short-necked cetacea 

 which have yet to be described. Taking the skull of 

 the ox (fig. 56) as a type of the ruminant cranium, it 



is only necessary to observe its general breadth and 

 massiveness ; the cerebral division bearing a very small 

 proportion to the entire mass. This disparity prevails 

 throughout the whole order, the bones of the face 

 occupying fully two-thirds of the entire length, and 

 the area of the face on section being nearly double 

 that of the cranium. 



FAMILY I. BOVID.E. 



The group of animals commonly termed Oxen con- 

 stitute a division of the hollow-horned ruminants, which, 

 although very closely allied to the sheep and antelopes, 

 are easily recognized by their bulky and massive appear- 

 ance generally, and particularly by their broad muzzle 

 and powerful limbs. A still more striking character 

 istic is to be seen in the lateral direction of the horns, 

 which usually incline upwards, or forwards in a crescentio 

 manner. In the constitution of the skeleton, there are 

 numerous variations in the form, position, and degree 

 of development of the several osseous . elements ; but 

 these are not of sufficient importance to be detailed at 

 length. In regard to the cloven hoof, we may mention 

 what we have omitted in our general introduction to 

 the order, namely, that this split condition of the foot 

 is evidently designed to impart lightness and elasticity 

 to the spring ; and in view of giving full effect to such 

 an arrangement, many ruminant species are provided 

 with a special glandular sebaceous follicle between the 

 toes, whose office it is to furnish a lubricating secretion, 

 calculated to prevent injury from friction of the digits- 

 one against the other. According to Sir Charles Bell, 

 there is yet another intention in this cloven form, viz., 

 that of aiding the voluntary elevation of the foot, when 

 it has sunk deeply into the soft ground. " We may 

 observe," he says, " how much more easily the cow 

 withdraws her foot from the yielding margin of a river 

 than the horse. The round and concave form of the 

 horse's foot is attended with a vacuum or suction as it 

 is withdrawn, while the split and conical-shaped hoof 

 expands in sinking and is easily extricated." In regard 

 to the economic purposes which this family 

 subserves, they are not second to those of 

 any other group of animals, for they supply 

 / us with capital in the form of labour, fat, 

 ' milk, leather, horns, &c. Geographically, 

 they enjoy a wide distribution, both in the 

 eastern and western hemispheres; whilst 

 numerous fossil remains testify to their abundance in 

 the tertiary epoch. 



THE OX (Bos taunts) is known to every one, and 

 yet, notwithstanding our familiarity with it, we are 

 scarcely in a position to decide whether it is a descend- 

 ant of the great ancient British wild ox Bos urus 

 or whether it may not be a domesticated variety of 

 another species. We incline to the latter opinion; and 

 having ourselves carefully examined the cranium of 

 Bos primigenius, we are quite satisfied that the Ox is 

 not derived from that source. Cuvier, Bell, and other 

 eminent naturalists have expressed their opinion that 

 the view first referred to is the correct one ; but, on 

 the other hand, we have the weighty authority of Pro- 

 fessor Owen, whose sentiments are thus convincingly 

 expressed : " It seems to me more probable," he says, 

 speaking of our domestic cattle, " that the herds of the 

 newly-conquered regions would be derived from the 

 already domesticated cattle of the Eoman colonists ; of 

 those ' boves nostri,' for example, by comparison with 

 which Caesar endeavoured to convey to his countrymen 

 an idea of the stupendous and formidable uri of the 



