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The Musk-Ox (Ovibos moschatus)

The Musk-Ox (Ovibos moschatus).jpg Outlines of Manilla BuffaloThumbnailsA calfOutlines of Manilla BuffaloThumbnailsA calfOutlines of Manilla BuffaloThumbnailsA calfOutlines of Manilla BuffaloThumbnailsA calfOutlines of Manilla BuffaloThumbnailsA calfOutlines of Manilla BuffaloThumbnailsA calf
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Another large mammal, perhaps less well known, is the Musk-Ox (Ovibos moschatus), which resembles in size the smaller varieties of Oxen, but in structure and habits is closely allied to the Sheep. As is implied by the specific name, it exhales a musky odour; this does not, however, appear to be due to the secretion of a special gland, as is the case in other animals with a similar smell. The skin is covered with long brown thickly-matted hair, interspersed with white. It is confined to the most northerly parts of North America and the American Arctic islands, and to North Greenland. Though not now living in the Old World, it seems formerly to have been abundant in Siberia, and, as we shall learn later on, it was one of the species which took part in the great Siberian invasion of Europe. Its remains have been found not only in Germany and France, but also in the south of England.

Author
The History of the European Fauna
By R. F. Scharff
Published in 1899
Available from gutenberg.org
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1000*873
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