. The popular natural history . Zoology. i68 THE MUSK OX.—ANTELOPES. important article of commerce. Dyed red, it is formed into those curious tufts that decorate the caps of the Chinese, and when properly mounted in a silver handle, it is used as a fly-flapper in India under the name of " ; These tails are carried before certain officers of state, their number indicating his rank. The curiously-shaped horns of the MuSK Ox, its long woolly hair falling almost to the ground in every direction, so as nearly to conceal its legs, together with the pecuhar form of the head and snou
. The popular natural history . Zoology. i68 THE MUSK OX.—ANTELOPES. important article of commerce. Dyed red, it is formed into those curious tufts that decorate the caps of the Chinese, and when properly mounted in a silver handle, it is used as a fly-flapper in India under the name of " ; These tails are carried before certain officers of state, their number indicating his rank. The curiously-shaped horns of the MuSK Ox, its long woolly hair falling almost to the ground in every direction, so as nearly to conceal its legs, together with the pecuhar form of the head and snout, are unfailing charac- teristics, whereby it can be dis- criminated from any other animal. The horns of the Musk Ox are extremely large at their base, and form a kind of helmet upon the summit of the forehead. They then sweep boldly downwards, and are again hooked upwards towards the tips. This curious form of the horns is only noticed in the male, as the horns of the female are set very widely apart from the sides of the forehead, and are simply curved. The muzzle is covered with hair, with the exception of a very slight line round the nostrils. This animal is an inhabit- ant of the extreme north of America, being seldom seen south of the sixty- first degree of latitude, and ascending as high as the seventy-fifth. It lives, in fact, in the same country which is inhabited by the Esquimaux, and is known to them under the name of Oomingnoak. It is a fleet and active animal, and traverses with such ease the rocky and precipitous ground on which it loves to dwell, that it cannot be overtaken by any pursuer less swift than an arrow or bullet. It is rather an irritable animal, and becomes a dangerous foe to the hunters, by its habit of charging upon them while they are perplexed amid the cliffs and crevices of its rocky home, thus often escaping unharmed by the aid of its quick eye and agile limbs. The flesh of this animal is very strongly perfumed with a musky odour, very variab
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
