RUMINANTIA. 107 



with a circle of projecting hairs ; under the throat and dew-lap is another 

 black mane: the feet have all the lightness of the stag. 



The most remarkable species are the Gazelle, Springbock, Plunging Ante- 

 lope, Rock-Springer, Algazel, Chamois, Gnu, &c. 



The three remaining genera have the bony core of the horns principally 

 occupied with cells, which communicate with the frontal sinuses. The direc- 

 tion of their horns furnishes the characters of the divisions. 



CAPRA, Linnceus. 



The horns of the Goats are directed upwards and backwards, the chin gene- 

 rally furnished with a long beard, and the chanfrin almost always concave. 



C. (fgragus, Gm. (The Wild Goat.) Appears to be the stock of all the 

 varieties of our domestic Goat. It is distinguished by its horns, trenchant in 

 front, very large in the male ; short, or altogether wanting, in the female, 

 which is also sometimes the case in the two species of Ibex. It lives in herds 

 on the mountains of Persia (where it is known by the name of paseng), and 

 perhaps on those of other countries, even in the Alps. The oriental bezoar is 

 a concretion found in its intestines. 



C. ibex, Lin. (The Ibex.) Large horns, square in front, marked with trans- 

 verse and prominent knots. It inhabits the most elevated summits of the 

 highest ranges of mountains in the whole of the eastern continent. 



Ovis, Linnaeus. 



The horns of Sheep are directed backwards, and then incline spirally, more 

 or less forwards : the chanfrin is more or less convex, and there is no beard. 



Ov. ammon, Lin. (The Argali of Siberia.) The male has very large horns, 

 with the base triangular, angles rounded, flattened in front, and striated trans- 

 versely; those of the female are compressed and falsiform. To this genus 

 belong the M ouflons of America, Africa, and Sardinia. This animal inhabits 

 the mountains of all Asia, and attains to the size of the fallow deer. 



It is from the Mouflon or the Argali that we are supposed to derive the 

 innumerable races of our woolly animals, which, next to the dog, are most 

 subject to variation. 



Bos, Linnaeus. 



The horns of the Ox are directed laterally, inclining upwards or forwards, 

 in the form of a crescent ; it is a large animal, with a broad muzzle, short 

 and thick body, and stout legs. 



B. tnurus, Lin. (The Common Ox.) Its specific characters are a flat fore- 

 head, longer than broad, and round horns, placed at the extremities of the 

 salient line, or ridge which separates the forehead from the occiput. 



B. urus, Gm. (The Aurochs.) Generally, but erroneously, considered 

 as the wild stock of our horned cattle. It is distinguished from them by 

 its convex forehead, which is wider than it is high ; by the insertion of its 

 horns below the occipital crest ; by the length of its legs; by an additional 

 pair of ribs ; by a sort of curly wool, which covers the head and neck of the 

 bull, forming a short beard under the throat ; and by its grunting voice. It 



