Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 40.djvu/381

Rh As recently as 1859 Baird says that, owing to the extreme scarcity of the musk ox, he knows of hut one specimen to be found in all the museums of the United States. This scarcity, however, might be accounted for more by the fact of obstacles in the way of entering the territories inhabited by the musk ox than by the actual rarity of the animal. From the evidence of fossil remains, it is clear that the musk ox long ago roamed westward to Siberia, and found its way eastward even to the British

Isles; but the accompanying map, exhibiting the boundaries of its present range, shows how restricted is its distribution. In the regions of perpetual snow it wanders, making its way northward in summer, being found at the highest points our expeditions have reached, and returning in winter to its southern haunts, which seldom touch latitude 60°. Over the rugged wilds the creature loves to ramble, and, although its appearance indicates awkwardness of locomotion, it is said to run fast and to climb precipitous cliffs with wonderful ease. Its home is the "barren grounds" wherein vegetation is limited almost to a few lichens and the stunted spruce to which they cling. On this meager diet the musk ox fattened and lived free from the assaults of almost every enemy; for the Eskimo alone penetrated its domain, being urged thither by hunger and the desire to obtain the valuable pelt.



The flesh is much coveted by the Eskimos, and explorers speak in the highest terms of the relish afforded by the meat of the cow and the calf, although the meat of the bull is pronounced as offensively musky. Till within the last five years, in our markets, the pelt was worth fifty dollars, and was accounted a rarity; but