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A Musk -Ox Hunt. 



makes him look like a huge ram, to which his horns add much of 

 similarity. In fact, this covering partakes of the character of both 

 wool and hair. First, there is a dense coat of blackish-brown hair 

 like that on the hump, shoulders, and fore-legs of the buffalo, which 

 extends over the whole body and is, I believe, never shed. Below 

 this there is an undercoating of soft, light brown wool, which is shed 

 annually, and which is invisible through the outer coat, unless parted 

 by the hands. This seems to be a true wool and of the finest 

 texture. A Mr. Pennant, an English gentleman, gives an instance 

 of a man of his, by the name of Jeremy, having woven from this 

 inner fleece of the musk-ox a pair of stockings which were as fine as 

 any of the best silk stockings. 



During the summer months, just after this fleece is shed, it is 

 still found, matted into the long black hair, and is only prevented 

 from falling to the ground by this interweaving process. The short 

 hair, on their foreheads is very often found matted into little balls or 

 small lumps with ordinary dirt, showing unmistakably that they use 

 their heads and horns in tearing up the earth. This they have been 



