UNGULATA. 565 



sively used by tne Laplanders both as beasts of burden and as 

 supplying food. 



The so-called " Brockets," such as the Guazu-pita {Subulo 

 rufus) of South America, have simple horns in the form of a 

 stiletto. Lastly^ the singular Muntjak of Java has the horns 

 supported on long bony pedicles springing from the frontal 

 bone ; and the males have large upper canines. 



d. CamdopardalidcB. — This family includes only a single 

 living animal — the Camelopardalis Giraffa, or Giraffe — some- 

 times called the Camelopard, from the fact that the, skin is 

 spotted like that of the Leopard, whilst the neck is long, and 

 gives it some distant resemblance to a Camel. ' There are no 

 upper canines in the Giraffe, and both sexes possess two small 

 frontal horns, which, however, are persistent, and remain per- 

 manently covered by a hairy skin, terminated by a tuft of long 

 stiff bristles. The neck is of extraordinary length, but, never- 

 theless, consists of no more than the normal seven cervical 

 vertebrae. The fore-legs appear to be much longer than the 

 hind-legs, and all are terminated by two toes each, the supple- 

 mentary toes being altogether wanting. The tongue is very 

 long and movable, and is employed in stripping leaves off the 

 trees. The Giraffe is the largest of all the Ruminants, measur- 

 ing as much as from fifteen to eighteen feet in height. It is a 

 harmless and inoffensive animal, but defends itself very effectu- 

 ally, if attacked, by kicking. It is found in Nubia, Abyssinia, 

 and the Cape of Good Hope. 



Remains of gigantic Ruminants allied to the Giraffe have 

 been found in France and Greece (Helladotheriuni) ; but the 

 Sivatherium, sometimes referred to this family, appears to have 

 been more nearly allied to the true Antdopes. 



e. Cavkornia.—Th.e last family of the Ruminants is that of 

 the Cavicornia or Bovidce, comprising .the Oxen, Sheep, Goats, 

 and Antelopes. This family includes the most typical Rumi- 

 nants, and those of most importance to man. The upper jaw 

 in all the Cavicornia is wholly destitute of incisors and canines, 

 the place of which is taken by the hardened gum, against 

 which the lower incisors bite. There are six incisors and two 

 canines in the lower jaw, placed in a continuous series, and the 

 molars are separated by a wide gap from the canines. There 

 are six molars on each side of each jaw. Both sexes have 

 horns, or the males only may be horned, but in either case 

 these appendages are very different to the "antlers" of the 

 CervidcR. The horns, namely, are persistent, instead of being 

 deciduous, and each consists of a bony process of the frontal 

 tone — or "horn-core" — covered by a sheath of horn. The 



