ARTIODACTYLES 105 



class the Common or Asiatic Buffalo {B. buffelus), which is said still to 

 occur in the wild state in the East Indies. It is of the highest importance 

 as a draught animal in India, Mesopotamia, Syria, Egypt, and the South 

 of Europe. Being fond of swampy districts, it renders useful services to 

 man, more especially in the rice culture. The Cape Buffalo (B. caffer), 

 a very vicious animal, inhabits in large herds the swampy districts of 

 South and Central Africa. Its powerful horns are used a good deal 

 with us for the manufacture of combs and similar articles. 



In the Bisons {Bison) the spinous processes of the last cervical and 

 first dorsal vertebra are much longer than in the ox. The front part of 

 the back, which is covered by a mane, appears, accordingly, dispropor- 

 tionately high. The, powerful head bears short horns. The European 

 Bison (B. ewopaus) is already extinct, while the Buffalo, or American 

 Bison (B. americanus), has also very nearly disappeared. But a few 

 years ago innumerable herds used to inhabit the vast plains of North 

 America, forming the principal object of the chase to the native Indians. 

 But thousands of these gigantic animals were shot down by European 

 settlers, sometimes for the sake of their skins or tongues, but in many 

 cases from a mere love of slaughter. A last remnant has fortunately 

 found a safe asylum in the Yellowstone Park. 



Other Horned Ruminants. 



Next to the ox, the Sheep (Ovis aries) and the Goat (Capra hircus) 

 are among the most important domestic ruminants. The form and 

 structure of their body (describe it) and their manifold uses are generally 

 known. The goat has aptly been named " the poor man's cow." This 

 animal, however, is one of the most destructive foes of the forest, 

 inasmuch as it is fond of gnawing the stems of trees and eating up the 

 young plants and shoots of forest trees. The deforestation and resulting 

 barrenness of the mountains and dryness of the climate of the countries 

 bordering on the Mediterranean must be ascribed in great measure to 

 the agency of this animal. 



Of the many varieties of the goat and sheep, we shall only mention 

 in the case of the former the small, inconspicuous Heath Sheep of 

 the Liineburg Heath, and the Merino Sheep of the table-lands of 

 Spain, which furnishes the finest wool ; and in the case of the latter 

 species the Angora Goat of Asia Minor, the line, silk-like hair of which 

 is employed in the finest textile fabrics. Like the Ibex (C. ibex), a near 

 relative of the goat, the ancestors of both animals were inhabitants of 

 rocky districts. This is sufficiently indicated by their extraordinary 

 adeptness in climbing. 



The Antelopes, which inhabit by preference the steppes and deserts 



