274 MAMMALIA. 



furnislied witli torns, and their fore-feet, are terrible weapons. 

 In their migrations, their numbers are so enormous, that as they 

 advance everything that comes in their way is devastated. 



The Musk Ox (Ovibos moschatus). Fig. 105, is much smaller than 

 the Common Ox, and has somewhat the appearance of an enormous 

 sheep. Its forehead is arched ; its mouth small ; its muzzle com- 

 pletely covered with hair ; and its horns, which are very large, are 

 closely united at the base, and bending downwards over the sides 

 of its head, suddenly turn backwards and upwards at the tips. 

 Its long and abundant coat is of a dark brown colour. It exhales 

 a strong odour of musk, which even impregnates the flesh. 



This animal, which is a combination of the Ox, Sheep, and 

 Groat, inhabits B^orth America below the polar circle, and lives 

 in families of from ten to twenty individuals, among which 

 there are seldom more than two or three males. In the month 

 of August the latter become so jealous that they fight even to 

 the very death. 



Notwithstanding its apparent heaviness, the Musk Ox climbs 

 over rocks almost as nimbly as a Goat, and its speed across 

 the rocky, rough, barren grounds, its principal habitat, for an 

 animal so clumsy, is truly astonishing. 



The European Buffalo, or Auroch [Bison europwus), is, next to 

 the Elephant, Rhinoceros, and GrirafPe, the largest of terrestrial 

 Mammals. It is nearly six feet high, measured at its withers. 

 Its horns are large, round and lateral, and its tail is long ; the 

 front of the body, as far as the shoulders, is covered with coarse, 

 harsh, brown hair ; the underneath part of its throat, down to 

 its breast, is furnished with a long pendulous mane, and the rest 

 of its body is covered with short black hair. 



This animal is the Urus of the ancients. It formerly lived in 

 all the marshy forests of temperate Europe, even in Great Britain. 

 In the time of Caesar it was still to be found in Germany, but, 

 from the increase of Man and his conquests, it has become more 

 and more rare. At the present time it is only to be found in 

 two provinces of Russia — the forest of Bialowieza, in the govern- 

 ment of Grodno, and the province of Awhasie, a dependencj'' of 

 the Caucasian region. Very severe orders have been issued by 

 the Emperor of Russia to prevent the destruction of these animals, 

 and not one can be killed without his permission. 



