. Mammals of other lands;. Mammals. CHAPTER XIII THE HOLLOW HORNED RUMINANTS: OXEN, BISON BUFFALOES, AND MUSK-OX CATTLE, Deer, Camels, Pigs, Horses, Tapirs, Rhinoceroses, and Elephants differ greatly in structure from the orders already described. They are classed as the Ungulates, or Hoofed Mammals. In most of these, such as the Horse, Deer, and Oxen, the toes are contained within a solid hoof; in others, such as the Rhinoceros, they are protected by broad nails. Great differences exist in the feet of the various groups of Ungulates, caused by the degree in which the digits, or " toes,''


. Mammals of other lands;. Mammals. CHAPTER XIII THE HOLLOW HORNED RUMINANTS: OXEN, BISON BUFFALOES, AND MUSK-OX CATTLE, Deer, Camels, Pigs, Horses, Tapirs, Rhinoceroses, and Elephants differ greatly in structure from the orders already described. They are classed as the Ungulates, or Hoofed Mammals. In most of these, such as the Horse, Deer, and Oxen, the toes are contained within a solid hoof; in others, such as the Rhinoceros, they are protected by broad nails. Great differences exist in the feet of the various groups of Ungulates, caused by the degree in which the digits, or " toes,'' remain in use or not. Except in the Elephant, where there are five, the greatest number of " working " digits found in existing forms is four. In the Horse and its surviving allies the digits are reduced to one; in the Giraffes, to two. The general process, as it can be learnt from the remains of the horse-like animals of the past, seems to have been as follows. One or more of the toes were developed in length and strength at the expense of the others, until, in the case of the Horse, only one toe remained, which was enclosed in a large and solid hoof, little splints on either side of the cannon-bone being left to hint where the second and fourth toes had once been. In the Oxen and Deer the third arid fourth toes developed equally, at the expense of the others, and each gained a case or covering, which makes the two parts of the " cloven hoof" of these groups. The first group of the order of Ungulates is represented by the Hollow-horned Ruminants. These have horns set on a core of bone, the horns themselves being hollow throughout. They " chew the cud," after receiving the food eaten into the first of four divisions in the stomach, whence it is brought up into the mouth, and then swallowed again for digestion. The Oxen, Sheep, and Goats have no popular name by which they are collectively distinguished, but their characteristics are sufficiently we


Size: 1925px × 1297px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: ., bookauthorco, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectmammals