144 
MAMMALIA. 
horns have not been sufficiently described. This animal, mentioned by ^Elian, was originally from the 
mountains of Thibet. Its tail constitutes the standard, still used by the Turks to distinguish their superior 
officers. 
The Cape Buffalo (Bos caffer, Sparm.).— Very 
large horns, directed outward and downward and 
then turned upward, flattened, and so large at 
base that they nearly cover the forehead, leaving 
only a triangular space, the point of which is ’ 
above. It is a very large and extremely ferocious 
animal, which inhabits the woods of Caffraria. i 
[There are other African Buffaloes of inferior size, 
a female of one of which (B. brachyceros, Gray), 
or the Short-horned Buffalo, with very large 
ears and well-proportioned limbs, is now living in 
London.] Lastly, 
The Musk Ox (Bos moschatus, Gm. [Ovibos mos- 
chatuSf Blainv.]). — Horns approximated and di- 
rected as in the Cape Buffalo, but meeting on the 
forehead by a straight line : those of the female ! 
smaller and separated. The forehead convex, and 
extremity of the muzzle hairy. It stands low, and 
is covered with long hair, that reaches the ground. 
Tail extremely shork It diffuses more strongly 
the musky odour common to the whole genus, 
[and which is also particularly noticeable in the 
European Bison]. Inhabits the coldest regions ^ 
of North America, where alone it has been seen, i 
though its skull and bones are sometimes carried 
by the ice to Siberia. 
THE NINTH ORDER OF MAMMALIANS,— 
CETACEA,— 
Consists of animals without hind-limbs : the trunk being continued by a thick tail, which i < 
terminates in a horizontal cartilaginous fin, while the head is connected to the body by so i 
short and thick a neck, that no diminution of 
its circumference is perceptible : tliis neck 
consists of very slender cervical vertebrae, that 
are partly anchylosed or soldered together. 
Tlie first bones of their anterior extremities 
are shortened, and the succeeding ones flattened 
and enveloped in a tendinous membrane, which 
reduces them to the condition of true fins. 
Hence the external form is absolutely that of 
fishes, except that the latter have the tail-fin 
vertical. They always therefore remain in the 
water ; but as they breathe by lungs, they are 
compelled to return frequently to the surface 
to take in fresh supplies of air.* Their warm blood ; ears that open externally, though bylj' 
very small orifices ; their viviparous generation, mammae by which they suckle their young,M«. 
and all the details of their anatomy, sufficiently distinguish them from fishes. 1 
‘ The larger species, however, will remain more than an hour I blood required to store these cavities, they continue breathing for a 
beneath the surface : in reference to which faculty, these animals I certain regular period, at each time of coming to the surface for that! j !l i 
have capacious reservoirs for arterial blood along the dorsal region, I purpose. — E d. i' 
and even within the head; hence, to oxygenate the great volume of | i , 
Fig. 66. — Swimming Paw of Whale. 
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