RODENTS. 397 



FIG. 441. MUSK Ox. 



The Musk Ox (Bos moschatus] inhabits the most northern parts of America, under 

 the polar circle, and climbs rocks almost as well as a goat. The horns meet at their 

 base in front of their forehead, almost in a straight line. It stands low, and is covered 

 with tufted hair that reaches to the ground. It diffuses a strong smell of musk, with 

 which its flesh is always impregnated. The Esquimaux make caps of the tail, the hairs 

 of which, falling over their face, defend them from the mosquitoes. 



ORDER RODEXTIA.* 



The Quadrupeds that have hitherto occupied our attention, all 

 of them herbivorous, have derived their food either from the grass 

 of the fields or the foliage of trees, for the mastication of which 

 their teeth are admirably adapted. The animals that next pre- 

 sent themselves are constructed for devouring less practicable 

 materials. They live principally upon the harder parts of vege- 

 tables, the bark, the roots, the woody stems, and even the nuts 

 and stony seeds, and are, consequently, provided with incisor 

 teeth adapted to gnaw and reduce to fragments the tough and 

 resisting substances upon which they feed. These gnawing 

 or rodent teeth consist of four large incisors, two of which are 

 situated in the front of each jaw; they are separated from the 

 grinders by a wide space devoid of teeth, and are neither adapted 

 for seizing living prey nor cutting flesh, but are shaped like 



* Rodo, 



