Klfi ON THE SOFT ANATOMY OF THE MUSK-OX. [Feb. 20, 



other hand, as several of the Antelopes, the Llamas, and certain 

 other Ruminants have hairy muzzles, it is possible that this is an 

 ancient character, retained alike by Ovibos and Ovis. Whichever 

 of these theories may be true, neither gives any reason for 

 classifying the Musk-ox with the Sheep. 



The resemblance between the Musk-ox and Sheep with regard 

 to the relative dimensions of the right and left sacs of the paunch 

 is shared by members of Gervidce, and is therefore an ancient charac- 

 teristic, merely indicating that the paunch is less developed than 

 in Bos, the most specialized ruminant. The union of the pancreatic 

 duct with the ductus choledechus has already been discussed. It 

 indicates that one of the two primary ducts has become reduced, 

 and the same retained in both Ovibos and Ovis, and may well be 

 an independent parallelism. The " oviform " shape of the lobus 

 spigelii is of no importance. The peripheral situation of the last 

 centrifugal coil of the colon in Ovibos and Ovis is the same as in 

 the Cervidce ; and is thus an ancient character, with regard to which 

 Bos alone differs from the others. The same may be said about 

 the non-lobated kidneys of the Musk-ox. The presence of ante- 

 orbital glands is also an ancient character, common to many rumi- 

 nants, although these have been reduced in Bos, Copra, some 

 Antelopes, &c. It is thus evident that the resemblances between 

 Ovibos and Ovis do not indicate close relationship, especially when 

 the differences are so many and so important. For instance, the 

 absence of the median fissure in the upper lip indicates that the 

 muzzle of the Musk-ox has been differentiated from the ancient 

 type still retained by the Sheep. The reticulum of the Musk-ox 

 is smaller than the psalterium, and the abomasus differs in the 

 number of plicae, &c. These are features of a separate development, 

 as are the greater number of colic coils. The spleen differs from 

 that of the Sheep and other Cavicornia, and may be of an ancient 

 type. The slight development of the septum membranaceum in the 

 posterior part of the nasal cavity separates Ovibos from the Ovine 

 type ; and the same is the case with the differences indicated by the 

 great development of the larynx of the Musk-ox, its peculiar 

 trachea, and the undivided left lung. The shape of the Musk-ox's 

 penis is different from that of the Ovine group. The number of 

 cotyledons in the placenta is unusually large, and the number of teats 

 is the primary four; both these being important characters which 

 distinguish the Musk-ox from the Sheep. To these may he added 

 characters of minor importance, such as the denticulated palatal 

 ridges 1 , the flattened shape of the lobus caudatns of the liver, the valves 

 in the vagina, the absence of the foot-glands, &c. Taken together, 

 all seem to prove that the soft anatomy of the Musk-ox not only 

 does not speak for its affinity with the Sheep, but even plainly pro- 

 hibits its inclusion in the same group of the Cavicornia. Neither 

 is it allied to the Bovine group. The anatomy of Budorcas is not 



1 The irregular arrangement of the papilla; circumvallatce compared with the 

 regular rows in Bos and Ovibos may be an ancient feature. 



