Species of Bovine Animals. 6361 



remarkable beast, the Budorcas taxicolor of Mr. Hodgson ( c Journal 

 of the Asiatic Society,' vol. ix. p. 65), which inhabits the Mishmee 

 mountains at the head of the valley of Asam. But this latter we 

 take rather to be a massive goat or goral ; just as the nilgai is akin to 

 our little four-horned chikara, and the bubalis or "Harte-beest" group 

 to the gazelles. It has been stated (with what truth we know not) 

 that the musk cow has only two developed teats, — as in the sheep, — 

 all other boviues having four. The dung of musk cattle resembles that 

 of sheep and goats. 



The Siberian fossil skull figured by Cuvier (Oss. Foss. pi. 172, figs. 

 6, 7,) has the descending portion of the horns still more closely 

 appressed to the sides of the head than in the existing musk ox. — 

 (Id. pi. 17, figs. 15, 16, 17); this fossil animal being referred to the 

 Ovibos Pallantis of the late Professor de Blainville. 



The rest of the bovines fall primarily into bisontines, taurines and 

 bubalines, which respectively inhabit, for the most part, or typically, 

 cold, temperate and hot climates ; the indigenous taurines of tropical 

 regions obtaining a cooler temperature upon the mountains. The 

 humped cattle, however, form one exception, and seem proper to the 

 hottest regions of the anciently-known hemisphere. 



The bisontines sub-divide into the bisons proper, and the yak. All 

 have cylindrical horns, very slight naked muzzle, (most developed in 

 the European zebra), and are clad with long shaggy hair, especially 

 on the head, chin and fore-quarters. The tail is short, not reaching 

 below the hocks. 



The true bisons have a very broad convex forehead, and stout horns 

 curving in a semicircle. The head and fore quarters are particularly 

 large and heavy, and the hind quarters reduced, an appearance which 

 is exaggerated by the copious mane and beard in front. They carry 

 the head very low, and commonly stand with their fore and hind feet 

 near together. The orbits of the skull are remarkably prolonged and 

 tubular. These animals inhabit swampy forests and prairies, such as 

 was much of Central Europe in the days of the Caesars. 



The American bison (Bos Bison — americanus, L. ; Bos Bison of 

 many authors, as distinguished from the next, erroneously designated 

 by them B. Urus). With fifteen pairs of ribs, and consequently but 

 four lumbar vertebrae. The well-known so-called " buffalo " of the 

 western prairies.* We have seen many alive, and have remarked that 



* Whence the thriving town or city of Buffalo, on the shore of Lake Erie, and a 

 certain familiar ditty appealing to the Terpsichorean propensities of its young ladies 

 by moonlight. 



XVII. H 



