16 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
NOTES FROM AN ARCTIC JOURNAL. 
By H. W. Ferpen, F.G.S., C.M.Z.S. 
- (Continued from Zool. 1878, p. 451.) 
On the 24th of August, a lead opening to the westward, our 
ships left Bessels Bay, and, crossing Hall Basin, we entered, 
early on the following morning, a large and well-protected har- 
bour on the coast of Grinnell Land. The aspect of the western 
side of the Sound differs entirely from the Greenland or eastern 
shore which we had just left. Instead of the mural cliffs of 
limestone capped by a mer-de-glace, with glaciers descending into 
the sea, Grinnell Land appeared as a series of peaked mountains 
rising to an altitude of 2000 to 3000 feet, with deep valleys inter- 
vening between them. Though covered with snow at that season, 
yet we could see that no glaciers occupied the valleys, and that 
in all probability they would prove accessible. As we neared the 
inner shore of the bay a herd of Musk-oxen were seen about a 
quarter of a mile from the shore: a party from our ship landed, 
and, after a smart chase, killed the entire herd numbering nine— 
an old bull, four old cows, two young bulls, and two young cows. 
This provided us with a supply of over 2000 tbs. of fresh meat. 
Unless shot through the heart, the Musk-ox is very tenacious of 
life; their shaggy coat is a great protection, and when wounded or 
brought to bay their habit of facing the enemy, sinking their 
muzzle, and only exposing the crown of the head with its armature 
of horn and heavy horn cores, renders the animal almost bullet- 
proof. The old bull, though shot through the body and with a 
hind leg broken, still kept facing us and endeavouring to charge. 
One of us stepped up to within five paces and fired a Snider rifle 
bullet point-blank between its eyes. This had no appreciable 
effect, and an examination of the skull afterwards showed merely 
a dent where the bullet had struck. Not until the animal was 
taken in flank and a bullet put into the region of the heart did it 
succumb. This animal was as large as any we afterwards procured. 
Its head and horns weighed 54 tbs., rest of the hide 50 tbs., and 
the carcase, when cleaned and brought on board ship, 385 tbs. 
The measurements of the head were as follows:—From apex of 
skull to point of nose, 24 inches; breadth between the eyes, 
13 inches; horns, measured inside the curve, 26 inches: greatest 
