*9 2 MAMMALIA. PECORA. Mufk'. 



former, and fo ftupid as to fall a prey to the fame fimple fnare ; it was likewife ufed formerly for 

 carrying fmall loads. In the wild ftate the upper parts of the body are of a purple colour, and the 

 under parts white ; in the domeflicated ftate the- colour varies, but is ufually black, mottled with 

 white and reddifh, or brown ; the wool is ufed for the fame purpofes with that of the Vicugna ; but, 

 being coarfer, the fluffs made from it are not fo filky. 



XXXIV. M U S K.— 33. MO S C HITS. 28. 



Has no horns. There are eight fore-teeth in the lower jaw; 

 and two long tulks, one on each fide, in the upper jaw, 

 which project out of the mouth. 



631 1. Thibet Mufk * — 1. Mofchus mo/chlferus. 1. 



Has a bag or tumour on the belly, near the navel ; and a very fhort tail. Pallas, fpic. 

 zool. xiii. t. 4. 6. Schreber, v. t. ccxlii. 



Mofchus. Schroeck, hifl. mofch. Vienn. 1682. iv. t. 44. Brun. It. 121. t. 121. — Animal mof- 

 chiferum, or Mufk animal. Nieremb. hifl. nat. 184. J. G. Gmel. Nov. com. Petrop. iv. 393. Raj. 

 quad. 127. — Bifamthier, Capreolus mofchi, or Mufk Roe. Gefn. quad. 786. D°. Thierb. re, f. 

 p. 50. 51. Jonfl. quad. t. 29. — Capra mofchi, or Mufk Goat. Aldrov. bifulc. 743. f. p. 744. jonfl. 

 quad. 78. Charlet. exerc. 10. — Tragus mofchiferus. Klein, quad. 18. BrifT. reg. an. 97. n. 5.— 

 Mufc, or Mufk. Sm. Buff. vii. 44 — Thibet Mufk. Penn. hifl. of quad. n. 54. pi. xii. f. 1. Ard~t. 

 zool. i. 34. A. 



Inhabits the principal Alpine mountains of Afia, efpecially the highefl rocky mountains from the 

 Altaic chain to that which divides Thibet from India ; likewife in China and Tonquin, and in eaft- 

 ern Siberia about lake Baikal and the rivers Jenifea and Argun. — Dwells folitarily in the mofl pre- 

 cipitous places of the mountains, among rocks, in the fmall narrow valleys furrounded by thefe fnowy 

 hills, and in the pine forefts which grow in their interfaces, but chiefly keeps on the highefl tops of 

 the fnowy peaks. This is a very gentle and exceflively timid animal, except in the feafon of love, 

 in November or December, when the males fight violently with their tulks for the females ; it is ex- 

 ceedingly active in leaping, running, climbing, and fwimming, and is very difficultly tamed; the flefh 

 is eatable, and that of the younger animals is reckoned delicate. The male meafures about three feet 

 three inches long from the nofe to the origin of the tail, and is about two feet three inches high at 

 the fhoulder ; the female is lefs than the male, has a fharper nofe, has no tufks nor mufk bag, and 

 is provided with two teats : The head is very handfome, and refembles that of the Roe ; the fur is 

 coarfe like that of the animals of the Deer kind, but fofter, very fmooth, cre£t, plentiful, thick, and 

 long; the colour varies according to the age of the animal, and time of the year, but is chiefly black- 

 ifh brown on the upper, and hoary, feldom white, on the under parts of the body ; in younger ani- 

 mals it is marked with ftreaks and fpots, which, growing larger as the animal grows older, at laft va- 



aifl* 



* The Mufk animal was firfl mentioned by Cofmas in the fixth century. 



