THE EUMINANT OEDEE. 309 



upper ja-w, but possesses two long and strong dog-teeth, which 

 extend beyond the lower lip ; these teeth are the exclusive attri- 

 bute of the male. Musk Deer have a muzzle like Stags, but no 

 tear-pits ; and their tail is short. The smallness of their size, the 

 elegance of their shape, combined with the grace and nimbleness 

 of their movements, cause these animals to be much admired. 



The Musk family comprehends but a small number of species, 

 which chiefly inhabit the Indian continent and adjacent islands ; 

 not a single representative of it is found in America. The two 

 principal are the Tibet Musk [Moschus moschiferus, Linn.), and 

 the Napu [Tragulus javaniciis, Pallas). 



The Tibet Musk is about the size of the Roe ; it inhabits 

 the mountainous regions of the centre of Asia, and is distributed 

 over an area of more than a thousand leagues in latitude, and 

 about fifteen hundred in longitude ; it is met with as far as 

 southern Siberia. It lives in solitude on inaccessible rocks, in the 

 vicinity of glaciers, during smnmer ; in the winter, it descends 

 into the woodlands. As it is very timid, and flees from the 

 .presence of Man, to capture it, therefore, it is necessary to have 

 recourse to snares and traps. The Toungouses, the nomadic 

 inhabitants of Tartary and Asiatic Russia, kill this animal with 

 bows and arrows, having enticed it within reach by imitating 

 the cry of their young. 



This animal is hunted for the sake of a strongly-scented sub- 

 stance, which is secreted in a pouch situated under the abdomen, 

 known as niiisli, a perfume insupportable to some noses, but with 

 which others love to impregnate their persons. The male alone 

 produces this scent. In winter, at the pairing season, it is of 

 the best quality ; this, therefore, is the season chosen for the 

 animal's pursuit. 



Musk is not only made use of as a perfume, but is also em- 

 ployed as an antispasmodic medicine; it is sold in trade along 

 with the receptacle which contains it, and its price is always very 

 high. 



We append a most interesting description of the habits of this 

 animal, written by a celebrated sportsman, and published in Land 

 and Water: — 



" From the first high ridge above the plains, to the limits of 

 the forest in the snowy range, and for perhaps the whole length 



