374 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



mixed with straight hairs ; the summit of the head of the 

 male is covered by the horns, which form a kind of scalp, 

 in the female it is covered with hair : the legs are gene- 

 rally white, and the hair spreads forward under the heels, 

 so as to cover the greater part of the frog *. 



These animals reside to the north-west of Churchill 

 River in Hudson's Bay ; living in herds of thirty or forty, 

 the bulls are few in proportion to the cows, caused as it ap- 

 pears by the mortal conflicts among them for the posses- 

 sion of the females; for it is observed that dead males are 

 often found, and that in the rutting season the bulls are so 

 jealous, that they run bellowing at every animal, even 

 ravens, to drive them off. They rut in August, and the fe- 

 males calve about the end of May, never bearing more than 

 one ; they prefer mountains and barren grounds, to wooded 

 countries, climb rocks with agility and secure footing; 

 they feed principally on grass, when in season, but mostly 

 on mosses, the tops of pine shoots, and willows. The flesh 

 is flavoured like that of the Elk ; the fat clear white, with 

 a tint of azure ; but the calves and heifers are the best for 

 the table, the meat of old bulls being so impregnated with a 

 musky smell, as to be very disagreeable food. The genitals 

 of the male are always lubricated with a musky unctuous 

 secretion, which is so powerful as to retain its smell for 

 several years ; the dung is in small round kobs like that of 

 the Varying Hare: several thousand weight of the flesh are 

 usually brought frozen by the Indians for winter store to 

 Prince of Wales's Fort. Captain Parry met this species as 

 far north as Melville Island, with the first appearance of 

 the spring ; each carcass furnishing him with from three 

 hundred, to three hundred and fifty pounds of beef. It 



* The under part of the hoofs and frog, shew a singular softish 

 transversely-ribbed surface, of a brown-red colour, seemingly in- 

 tended to secure the foot on slippery snow and ice ; the outer-toe ? 

 is round, and the other crooked and pointed. 



