MAMMALIA 



IT 5 



of the warmer parts of the Old World, and the most powerful 

 species is the Cape Buffalo (Bos coffer), which has a wide distri- 

 bution in Africa. While in this form the broad bases of the 

 horns meet together in the middle, the long backwardly-directed 

 horns of the much smaller Indian Buffalo (Bos bubalus] are 

 separated by a wide interspace. As a wild animal it is confined to 



Fig. 78. The American Bison (Bos Americanus}. (From an instantaneous photograph) 



India, but in the domesticated condition has a wide distribution 

 through south-east Asia, and has also been introduced into Asia 

 Minor, Egypt, and Italy. 



The Musk Ox (Ovibos moschatus] (fig. 79) with its ram-like 

 horns is more of the nature of a sheep than an ox. At the present 

 time it is restricted to the arctic parts of the western hemisphere, 

 and it is remarkable that so large a creature is able to find a 

 sufficiency of vegetable food in such inhospitable wilds. Its name 

 is due to the peculiar musky flavour which the flesh possesses. 



(2) Sheep resemble oxen in many respects but are much 

 smaller animals, and the neck bends sharply up, so that the head 



