276. NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 
come to the southwestern end of that lake, although they exist in numbers on its 
north-eastern arm. They range over the islands which lie to the north of the 
American continent as far as Melville island, in latitude 75°, but they do not, like. 
the rein-deer, extend to Greenland, Spitzbergen, or Lapland. From Indian 
information, we learn that to the westward of the Rocky Mountains, which skirt 
the Mackenzie, there is an extensive tract of barren country, which is also- 
inhabited by the musk-ox and rein-deer. It is to the Russian traders that we 
must look for information on this head ; but it is probable that, owing to the 
greater mildness of the climate to the westward of the Rocky Mountains, the 
musk-ox, which affects a cold barren district, where grass is replaced by lichens, 
does not range so far to the southward on the Pacific coast as it does on the 
shores of Hudson’s Bay. It is not known in New Caledonia, nor on the banks of 
the Columbia, nor is it found on the Rocky Mountain ridge at the usual crossing- 
places near the sources of the Peace, Elk, and Saskatchewan rivers. It is, 
therefore, fair to conclude that the animal described by Fathers Marco de Nica 
and Gomara, as an inhabitant of New Mexico, and which Pennant refers to the 
musk-ox, is of a different species*. The musk-ox has not crossed over to the 
Asiatic shore, and does not exist in Siberia, although fossil sculls have been 
found there of a species nearly allied, which has been enumerated in the systematic 
works under the name of Ovibos Pallantis. The appearance of musk-oxen on 
Melville Island, in the month of May, as ascertained on Captain Parry’s first, 
voyage, is interesting, not merely as a part of their natural history, but as giving 
us reason to infer that a chain of islands lies between Melville Island and Cape 
Lyon, or that Wollaston and Banks’ Lands form one large island, over which 
the migrations of the animals must have been performed. 
The districts inhabited by the musk-ox are the proper lands of the Esquimauxy ; 
and neither the Northern Indians nor the Crees have an original name for it, both 
terming it bison, with an additional epithet. The country frequented by the 
musk-ox is mostly rocky and destitute of wood, except on the banks of the larger 
rivers, which are generally more or less thickly clothed with spruce trees. Their 
food is similar to that of the Caribou, grass at one season and lichens at another ; é. 
and the contents of its paunch are eaten by the natives with the same relish that 
they devour the “ nerrooks” of the caribou. The dung of the musk-ox takes 
the form of round pellets, differing from those of the caribou only i in their greater 
* The Mexican animal is said to be a sheep, as large as a horse, with long hair, short tails, and enormous horns. 
The only horse which the musk-ox can be said to resemble in size, is a Shetland pony. z 
+ The northern Indian appellation for an Esquimaux, is “‘ Inhabitant of the Barren Land, 
