THE YAK. 



633 



tufts that decorate the caps of the Chinese, and when properly mounted in a silver handle, 

 it is used as a fly-flapper in India under the name of a chowrie. These tails are carried 

 before certain officers of state, their number indicating his rank. 



The Plough Yak is altogether a more plebeian-looking animal, humble of deportment, 

 carrying its head low, and almost devoid of the magnificent tufts of long silken hairs that 

 fringe the sides of its more aristocratic relation. Their legs are very short in proportion 

 to their bodies, and they are generally tailless, that member having been cut off and sold 

 by their avaricious owner. There is also another variety which is termed the Ghainorik. 

 The color of this animal is black, the back and tail being often white. The natives of 

 the country where the Yak lives are in the habit of crossing it with the common 

 domestic cattle and obtaining a mixed breed. When overloaded, the Yak is accustomed 



YAK. Poephagus gruaniens. 



to vent its displeasure by its loud, monotonic, melancholy grunting, which has been 

 known to affect the nerves of unpractised riders to such an extent that they dismounted, 

 after suffering half an hour's infliction of this most lugubrious chant, and performed the 

 remainder of their journey on foot. 



THE curiously shaped horns of the MUSK Ox, its long woolly hair falling nearly to 

 the ground in every direction, so as nearly to conceal its legs, together with the peculiar 

 form of the head and snout, are unfailing characteristics whereby it can be discriminated 

 form any other animal. The horns of the Musk Ox are extremely large at their base, 

 and form a kind of helmet upon the summit of the forehead. They then sweep boldly 

 downwards, and are again hooked upwards toward the tips. This curious form of the 

 horns is only noticed in the male, as the horns of the female are set very widely apart on 



