568 MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



with black. Another large Ox, which formerly existed in Brit- 

 ain, and abounded over the whole of Europe, is the Aurochs 

 or Lithuanian Bison {Bos bison). The Aurochs is of very large 

 size, considerably exceeding the common Ox in bulk. It still 

 occurs in the forests of the Caucasus in a wild state, but it no 

 longer occurs wild in Europe, if we except a herd maintained 

 by the Czar in one of the forests of Lithuania. Nearly allied 

 to the Aurochs is the American Bison or Buffalo {Bisoi} Ameri- 

 canus). This species formerly occurred in innumerable herds 

 in the prairies of North America, but it has been gradually 

 driven westwards, and has been much reduced in numbers. 

 It has an enormous head, a shaggy mane, and. a conical 

 hump between the shoulders. Two other, very well known 

 forms are the Cape Buffalo {Bubalus Coj^er). and the common 

 Buffalo {Bubalus bubalis). The former of these occurs in 

 southern and eastern Africa, and the latter is domesticated in 

 India and in many parts of the south of Asia. The horns in 

 both species are of large size,, and their bases are confluent, so 

 that the forehead is protected by a bony plate of considerable 

 thickness. 



Amongst the more remarkable Asiatic Oxen may be men- 

 tioned the Zebu {Bos taurus, var. Indicus), distinguished by the 

 fatty hump over the withers at the back of the neck, and the 

 Yak {Bos grunniens) of Thibet, remarkable for its long silky tail. 



The last of the Oxen which deserves notice is the curious 

 Musk-ox {Ovibos moschatus). This singular animal is at the 

 present day a native of Arctic America, and is remarkable for 

 the great length of the hair. It is called the Musk-ox, because 

 it gives out a musky odour. Like the Reindeer, the Musk-ox 

 had formerly a much wider geographical range than it has at 

 present; the conditions of climate which are necessary 'for its 

 existence having at that time - extended over a very much 

 larger area than at present. The Musk-ox, in fact, in JPost- 

 tertiary times is known to have extended over the greater part 

 of Europe, remains of it occurring abundantly in certain of 

 the bone-caves of France. 



CHAPTER LXXVIIL 

 HYRACOIDEA AND PROBOSCIDEA. 



Order VIL Hyracoidea. — This is a very small order which 

 has been constituted by Huxley for the reception of two or 



