HABITS AND HAIR OF UNGULATES 87 



which appear in this larger one, but for size, persistence and frequency 

 they cannot be compared to those of the horse, who has, if I may 

 so say, inherited all the family property in his own person and 

 added to it. 



The variations in the present group are fully dealt with in 

 the two earlier books already quoted, *, 2 , and I will not complicate 

 this chapter by any further remarks on them. 



Oxen. 



Of the numerous divisions of even-toed ungulates the oxen 

 present the best cases for study of the various ways in which the 

 hair is disposed, and among them the best as well as the most 

 accessible is the domestic ox. Again we have a familiar friend 

 of man and innumerable specimens for examination as in the case 

 of the horse. So this chapter will, like the preceding one, resolve 

 itself into the study of one typical animal, with whose habits of 

 life we are intimately acquainted. 



Before describing the habits and hair of the domestic ox or 

 cow, I would like to point out why I value so highly the negative 

 evidence which consists in the comparative rarity of whorls, feather- 

 ings and crests in even-toed ungulates. This brings us back to 

 the general fact of the raison d'etre of the horse and his group on 

 the one hand, and the ox and his numerous relatives on the other. 

 There are deer, antelopes and gazelles which for a spurt would 

 beat any horse and even the Thibetan wild ass, so I am not trying 

 here to disparage the power of this graceful swift group in the matter 

 of sprinting. But this term, however colloquial it may be, clearly 

 marks off the powers and habits of deer, antelopes and gazelles 

 from those of the horse, for, except when trying to escape from an 

 enemy, no deer, antelope or gazelle is fool enough to sprint or even 

 trot for mere pleasure or want of occupation, and certainly not in 

 the service of man. Thus it comes to pass that animal pedometers 

 are few and small in this second group of ungulates, and I submit 

 this negative fact gives strong support to the views advanced 

 throughout this volume. 



A Cow's Habits. 



A cow is a very restful animal except when disturbed by 

 extraneous causes, and the active habits of her life are of little 

 interest here, the chief importance of her for study being the passive 

 side of her life or small minor tricks. As a domestic animal she 



1 Op. cit. Use inheritance. 



2 Op. cit. Direction of Hair. 



