IV 
THE OX. 
HISTORY. 
servitude. He is hunted by the rude Indians for his skin and flesh, which last is hard, lean, and tainted with the flavour of musk. 
The Esquimaux, whose country he inhabits along with the Rein-Deer, cover their heads and faces with his long hair, to de¬ 
fend them from the bites of musquitoes. They eat his flesh, and devour the contents of his paunch, which is filled with the lichens 
and other plants on which he feeds.* 
A like form of the Bison seems to have extended westward into Asia, by Behring’s Straits, along the shores of the Icy 
Ocean. But the osseous remains of this animal alone exist, and naturalists have not determined whether he was identical with 
the species of America, or distinct from it. His habitat shows that he was, like it, formed to brave the rigour of the coldest climates 
of the globe. 
Proceeding southward towards Central Asia, another species of the Bisontine family appears, with habits which adapt him to 
the services of man. This creature is the Yak of the Tartar nations, the Bos grunniens of modern naturalists, so named on ac¬ 
count of the sound of his voice, which, like that of other Bisons, resembles the grunting of the Hog. This animal is found both 
in the wild and the domestic state, extending from the mountains of Thibet, through the vast countries of the Kalmuc and Mon- 
gollian nations, through China to the Pacific Ocean, and even to Hindostan. In the wild state his chief habitat is the chain of 
snowy mountains separating India from Tartary. 
This species of Bison is about the size of the lesser breeds of Oxen in Britain, but he is of a stout form, with short muscular 
limbs. He has fourteen pairs of ribs like the European Bison, and the anterior spines of his back are so lengthened as to form 
withers. He is armed with short and smooth horns, which frequently are wanting: they are black, or white, or white tipped with 
black, and bend upwards at the points. His muzzle is narrow, and covered with hairs, approaching in this respect to the character 
of the Ovibos. He is thickly clothed with hair and wool, to protect him from the cold of the elevated plains which he inhabits. 
On the forehead the hair is short and curling; on the back long, pendent, and mixed with wool; and along the spine runs a kind 
of mane. The tail reaches to the heels, and is covered with long, fine hairs, giving to the animal the aspect of an ox with a horse’s 
tail: hence he has been sometimes termed the Horse-tailed Buffalo. The colour of the hair varies in the domesticated race ; it is 
usually black, or brownish-black, but other parts of the body are white, as the legs, the back, and the fine and graceful tail. The 
height of the animals at the withers is said to be about three feet ten inches, but there must be great variations in size, for, in the 
British Museum, there is preserved the tail of a Yak which measures six feet in length.f 
The Yaks, in their state of nature, seem to prefer the woods of mountains to the valleys and open plains, and, like other 
Bisons, to seek the neighbourhood of rivers, lakes, and pools; and this fondness for an aquatic situation they retain in the domestic 
state, wallowing in pools when occasion offers, and swimming when they come to rivers. They have a somewhat gloomy aspect, 
and are said to be suspicious of strangers, and are even dangerous to be approached. Thus travellers, on advancing to the Tartar 
camps, have seen the herd approach as if to make an attack, whisking their long tails, and tossing their heads in a menacing 
manner. 
This species is the only kind of cattle cultivated by the Kalmuc and Mongollian tribes, and even by many of the "Western 
Tartars. It seems to be well suited to the condition of those elevated plains, where continual changes of place are required to 
afford fresh pasturage for the flocks and herds of the communities. The Yaks are well suited for these frequent journeyings, being 
hardy, sure-footed, and capable of bearing burdens. The natives make tents and ropes of their hair, and coverings of their skins. 
The milk of the female is plentiful and good, yielding excellent butter. Thus the Yak is a valuable animal in those countries of 
migratory herdsmen, yielding at the same time food and the means of transport. A profitable trade, too, is pursued by the Tartars 
in the white tails which many of the oxen produce. These tails are dyed of various beautiful colours, and are in request over all 
the East. They form the standards of the Mongols, Persians, and Turks : they are used in India and Persia as chouries or fly- 
fans, for which purpose they are supplied with ivory handles finely carved r they are used as ornaments for the harnessing of 
elephants and horses : the Chinese dye the hair of a beautiful red, and form it into tufts for their bonnets. 
The next in order of the Bovidse is the Bubaline group, distinguished by a narrow convex forehead, higher than wide, and by 
angular, not rounded horns. The general aspect of these animals is clumsy, their limbs are strong, their muzzle is broad, their 
ears are large and pendent; their hide is thick, usually coal-black, partially covered with hairs, and in the warmer countries nearly 
destitute of hairs.. They are fond of water, and, like Hogs, wallow in moist and miry places. The female has four mammee, but 
two sometimes are not developed. 
Of Buffaloes in the state of nature, there seem to be more than one species which have not been sufficiently described. One 
of these, inhabiting the forests of India, is of vast size and strength, with horns of enormous length. No live specimen of this 
* Richardson, Faun. Bor. Amer. 
t Griffith’s Animal Kingdom. 
