. The popular natural history . Zoology. THE KANCHIL. 191 SKULL OF MUSK DEER. precipices. The great length of the false hoofs adds much to the security of the Musk Deer's footing upon the crags. It is only in the male that the long tusks are seen, and that the perfume called musk is secreted. The tusks are sometimes as much as three inches in length, and therefore project considerably beyond the jaw. In shape they are compressed, pointed, and rather sharp-edged. The natives say that their prin- cipal use is in digging up the kastoree plant, a kind of subterranean bulb on which the Musk Deer fe
. The popular natural history . Zoology. THE KANCHIL. 191 SKULL OF MUSK DEER. precipices. The great length of the false hoofs adds much to the security of the Musk Deer's footing upon the crags. It is only in the male that the long tusks are seen, and that the perfume called musk is secreted. The tusks are sometimes as much as three inches in length, and therefore project considerably beyond the jaw. In shape they are compressed, pointed, and rather sharp-edged. The natives say that their prin- cipal use is in digging up the kastoree plant, a kind of subterranean bulb on which the Musk Deer feeds, and which imparts the peculiar perfume to the odorous secre- tion. The musk is produced in a glandular pouch placed in the abdomen, and when the animal is killed for the sake of this treasure, the musk-bag is carefully removed, so as to defend its precious contents from exposure to the air. When recently taken from the animal, the musk is of so powerfiil an odour as to cause headache to those who inhale its overpowering fragrance. The affluence of perfume that resides in the musk is almost incredible, for a small piece of this wonderful secretion may remain in a room for many years, and at the end of that time will give forth an odour which is apparently not the least diminished by time. Another member of the Moschine group is the Kanchil, or Pigmy Musk {Trdgulus pygmceus), a Deer which is found in the Asiatic islands, and which is as celebrated for its cunning' as is the fox among KANCHIL, OR PIGMY MUSK.—(Tfdgulus This animal is not nearly so large as the Musk Deer, and although some- what similar in colour, may be distinguished by a broad black stripe which runs along the back of the neck, and forms a wide band across the Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Wood, J. G
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
