loo THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE 



nails. The Ungulates have no claws, and, except in a few cases, 

 are without nails, but the toes of their fore and hind feet are 

 encased in a horny covering which we call the hoof We shall 

 learn more about this hoof when we come to study the horse. 



Another peculiarity of the Ungulates is the fact that as a 

 general rule the fore-limbs can only move backwards and forwards; 

 they are not capable of a circular movement, as, for instance, in 

 the case of a man's arms. 



They are, as a rule, but poorly provided with means of 

 offence and defence. Their bodies are often unwieldy and not 

 built for speed, so that they are unable to escape from their enemies 

 among the Carnivores by mere fleetness of foot. Nature has there- 

 fore provided them in many cases with formidable horns, with 

 which they are able to beat off the attacks of all but the most 

 powerful foes. 



The Ungulates are, as we have said, divided by naturalists into 

 a large number of families. One of these families, and certainly 

 not the least important, is that formed by the oxen, sheep, ante- 

 lopes, and goats. They are all closely related to one another, and 

 are known as the hollow-horned ruminants. The word ruminant 

 is another name for " chewing the cud ". 



We should find it a very difficult matter to do without the 

 cow and the ox; for there is scarcely any part of their bodies 

 which we do not put to some useful purpose. 



The cow supplies us with milk; and out of the milk we make 

 butter and cheese, and get curds and whey. In some parts of 

 the world, too, people make sour milk their principal food. As 

 soon as the milk is taken from the cow it is put into a skin bag, 

 and kept there until it turns sour. It is then found to be so 

 thick and hard that it can be cut with a knife, just like butter. 

 Before it is eaten it is mixed with meal, and although people 

 seldom like it at first, they soon come to prefer it to almost 

 any other food. 



The flesh of the ox, which we call beef, is a very important 

 article of diet. By soaking beef in brine, it can be kept for 

 a long time. The flesh of the calf is called veal, and is very 

 delicate and tender. 



