510 



Vertebrata. 



on the neck and ctest; four mammillse; the homs usually round and smooth 

 curved outwards at the base, upwards at the tip. The Domestic Ox (Bos 

 taurus), with flat forehead, is probably descended from several wild species; 

 one of its ancestors is the now extinct gigantic Aurochs or Ure Ox (B. 

 primigenius), which lived in Britain and many parts of the continent in early 

 times. Nearly allied to the Domestic Cow is the tame Zebu {B. indicus), with 

 a fatty hump ; occurring in Asia and Africa. Somewhat more remote is the 

 long-haired Yak {B. grunniens), of which both wild and tame forms inhabit the 

 mountain districts of Central Asia. The Bison (Bison) has an arched fore- 

 head and fairly small horns, which are far apart at the base, just as in the 

 genus Bos ; the anterior portion of the body is humped in consequence of the 

 great development of several of the neural spines ; the European Bison* (Bison 

 ev/ropseus) is now almost extei-minated (only persisting in Lithuania and the 

 Caucasus) ; formerly it was widely distributed throughout Central Europe. The 

 nearly allied American species (B. americanus, " Buffalo ") was common in large 

 herds in North America some time ago, but is now rarely seen. The Buffalos 

 (Buhalus) are distinguished by the homs, which are very flat at the base, and 

 sometimes almost touch in the median line ; they are poorly covered with hair ; 

 beasts of burden, of which, among others, a tame species descended from an 

 Indian form (Bub. vulgaris), is kept in South Europe. 



Order 6. Proboscidea {Mephants). 



Existing Elephants 

 legged animals^ with little hair. 



{Elephas) are large, bulky, long- 

 The feet, including the metacarpals 



Fig. 408. Skeleton of a Mastodon. — After Gaudry. 



or metatarsals are short, and each has five toes bearing short hoofs ; t 

 there is a large sole ventral to the toes, which are enclosed in a 



* The name Aurochs is used for this as well as for Bos primigenius. 

 ■f- Hoofs may be absent f ron) one or two digits, 



