﻿Field and Forest 



A MONTHLY JOURNAL 



DEVOTED TO THE NATURAL SCIENCES, 



Vol. II.— MARCH, 1877.— No. 9- 



The Musk Ox. 



The musk ox, Ovibos moschatus, is one of the most remarkable quad- 

 rupeds inhabiting the high latitudes of North America, and unlike the 

 majority of animal life of this region, has no living representative in 

 the corresponding latitudes of the Old World. Fossil remains of an 

 analogous species, are, however, found in conjunction with those of 

 the Mastodon, and Megatherium, in Siberia and the contiguous isles of 

 the Arctic Ocean. Similar remains have been found at Eschscholtz 

 Bay ; while the Bos Pallasii of Dr. Kay, and other fossil oxen have 

 been found in various parts of the United States ; a full description of 

 these from the pen of Dr. Leidy will be found in Volume five of the 

 1 ' Smithsonian Contributions 'to Knowledge. ' ' The Bos bombifrons and 

 Bos latifrons," he says were probably clothed in a long fleece, and 

 inhabited the great Mississippi Valley just anterior to the Drift Period. 



M. Blainville assigned the musk ox — as the technical name, ovibos, 

 indicates — a place between the sheep and the ox, in consequence of 

 its resemblance to both these animals, The long fleece, hairy muzzle 

 short tail, and curling horns, would suggest the sheep : but the head 

 and eye are unmistakably bovine. To M. Pennant, however, be- 

 longs the honor of defining the zoological position of this quadruped, 

 as well as furnishing the first extended account of habits and general 

 characteristics. Pennant, however, was indebted to Hearne for his 

 information, who also procured and forwarded to England a skin. 

 M. Jeremie is also entiled to the honor of introducing the musk ox 

 to the civilized world, through a pair of stockings made from the un- 



