Zoological Society. 



63 



parts, with curly hair on the forehead ; some pendent hair (as shown 

 in the drawing) from the site of the dew-lap (which latter is want- 

 ing), of the dark colour of the body, and a long but scanty white 

 tuft hanging from the prepuce, as in Fallow Deer. General colour 

 blackish brown, with a white belly ; the centre of the hump pale 

 ash-colour, or even whitish, with radiating black hair surrounding 

 this, four or five inches long. The cow is smaller and of a redder 

 colour. The individual described was brought with two others, 

 another male and a female, from the central region of Mount Atlas, 

 and was presented by the Emperor of Morocco, in the year 1834, to 

 the late Sir Peter Schousboe, who gave it to Mr. Crowther, in whose 

 possession it lived for four months at Tangiers, when it was shot. It 

 became tolerably tame, and its voice was a booming low, though, 

 when irritated, it would roar in a different tone. The flesh proved 

 to be rather coarse-grained, but that stripped from the sides of the 

 dorsal apophyses, or hump, was excellent, and had the flavour of 

 tongue. The skin was attempted to be preserved, but was destroyed 

 by the rats. It was considered to be rather a rare animal. Should 

 the above indications of it be confirmed, as I have no doubt they 

 will, I propose that the species be denominated Bos Atlantinus. It 

 is not improbably the Empolunga of Purchas. 



" The other wild Bovine species is much commoner, and has also 

 much of the Bison in its general contour. Size that of Devon cattle, 

 and colour red, with a flowing blackish nuchal mane : (hence this 

 animal is probably the Wadan of Capt. Lyon, if not also the Pacasse, 

 Empacasse, ox Pegasus of different authors). Its horns are very long 

 and spreading in both sexes, but more so in the female, wherein they 

 are also more slender ; they are cylindrical, a little rugose towards 

 the base, and directed out and up ; head not much unlike that 

 of common cattle, with no curly hair on the forehead ; the ears of 

 moderate size, and broad ; and tail, with its tuft, reaching below the 

 hock ; the hoofs are very black, and the secondary, or succentorial, 

 short. There is little difference between the male and female in 

 general aspect, but the calf is born of a whitish colour. The voice 

 of this species much resembles that of common cattle, but is consi- 

 derably more powerful. Its beef is excellent. They are occasion- 

 ally seen solitarily, but more commonly in large herds, sometimes 

 consisting of several hundreds ; at the rutting season in particular, 

 which is about July, they are very fierce, and apt to attack without 

 provocation ; they feed in the night, and by day pass much of their 

 time standing knee and belly deep in water, like our tame cattle in 

 summer ;' their coat has a wavy surface. This species is found about 

 Rabat, and near Salee, on the Barbary coast. I have heard before 

 of such an animal, and it appears to be tolerably common. 



" Upon questioning Mr. Crowther respecting the Bear of Mount 

 Atlas, which has been suspected to be the Syriacus, he knew it well, 

 and it proves to be a very different animal. An adult female was 

 inferior in size to the American Black Bear, but more robustly 

 formed, the face much shorter and broader, though the muzzle was 

 pointed, and both its toes and claws were remarkably short (for a 

 Bear), the latter being also particularly stout. Hair black, or rather 



