UNGULATA. 525 



tinguish them. The Antelopes are especially numerous, both 

 in individuals and in species, in Africa, in which country they 

 appear to take the place of the true Deer (only one species of 

 Deer being indigenous to Africa). Amongst the better-known 

 African species of Antelopes are the Springbok, Hartebeest, 

 Gnu, Eland, and Gazelle. The only European Antelope is the 

 Chamois (Rupicapra tragus), which inhabits the Alps and other 

 mountain-ranges of southern Europe. 



The Sheep and Goats (Ovidce) have mostly horns in both 

 sexes, and the horns are generally curved, compressed, and 

 turned more or less backwards. The body is heavier, and the 

 legs shorter and stouter than in the true Antelopes. In the 

 true Goats (Capra) both sexes have horns, and there are no 

 lachrymal sinuses. The throat is furnished with long hair, 

 forming a beard, and this appendage is usually present in both 

 sexes, though sometimes in the males only. The goats live in 

 herds, usually in mountainous and rugged districts. The do- 

 mestic Goat ( Capra hircus) is generally believed to be a descen- 

 dant of a species which occurs in a wild state in Persia and in 

 the Caucasus (the " Paseng," or Capra agagrus). The true 

 sheep (Ovis) are destitute of a beard, and the horns are gener- 

 ally twisted into a spiral. Horns may be present in both 

 sexes, or in the males only. Lachrymal sinuses are almost in- 

 variably present Numerous varieties of the domestic Sheep 

 (Ovis aries)a.re known, but it is not certainly known from what 

 wild species these were originally derived. The Merino Sheep 

 (a Spanish breed) and the Thibet Sheep are particularly cele- 

 brated for their long and fine wool. With the exception of 

 one species (the Big-horn, Ovis montano), all the Sheep appear 

 to be originally natives of the Old World. 



The true Oxen (Bovida) are distinguished by having simply 

 rounded horns, which are not twisted in a spiral manner. 

 There are no lachrymal sinuses. Most of the Oxen admit of 

 being more or less completely domesticated, and some of them 

 are amongst the most useful of animals, both as beasts of 

 burden and as supplying food. The parent-stock of our nu- 

 merous breeds of cattle is not known with absolute certainty ; 

 the nearest approach to British Wild Cattle being a celebrated 

 breed which is still preserved in one or two places. These 

 " Chillingham Cattle" are a fine wild breed, which at one time 

 doubtless existed over a considerable part of Britain. They 

 are pure white, with a black muzzle, the horns white, tipped 

 with black. Another large Ox, which formerly existed in Brit- 

 ain, and abounded over the whole of Europe, is the Aurochs 

 or Lithuanian Bison (JBos bison). The Aurochs is of very large 



