The Elbert County tribune., 1912-04-05

ican bison The coat of the muskox is dark um
ber in color. and in places even black but that
of the leg and Saddle" however is so much
lighter as to appear in contrast with the rest
of its fur as almost buff. The hair OF the name
and back is decidedly woolly, but the rest of its
coat falls In thick folds of hair. sometimes almost
completely obscuring its legs and reaching to the
ground So heavy is this coat that the ears and
tall, and often the base of the horns.
pletely hidden by it. Beneath this harlike coat
is one of WOOL somewhat of a light chocolate
color. The greater development of the fore quar-
ters particularly in the bull is so marked that
when one of these fully grown beasts advances
towards the hunter. 1t may readily be mistaken
for two animals walking in close proximity The
musko0 is quite short lmbed massive and stubby
In build, and in the spring the grotesqueness OF
Its appearance is more greatly enhanced by the
masses of wool that cling to the hair and which
1t is at that time shedding
One of the characteristic features OF this ami
NAL is the development of its horns In the
tured animal these Joined to the skull on top
and almost at the rear. They wide and
peculiarly rough at the base the uneven rough
ness gradually forming regular. uniform ridges
where the horns curve in towards the skull
finally assuming an almost polished smoothness
they taper to point and turn upward II
line were drawn from the point of one horn to
that of the other it would be found to pass Just
before the eyes The horns generally about
rs inches in length. but there many cases
where they have measured much 27. Those
Of the bull much more heavy and massive
than those of the COW and almost joined at
the base The horns are yelowish white in
color with the exception of the tips which are
black. The hoofs OF the muskox are quite small
when compared with those of the caribou rela
lively considering the weights of the animals
They are admirably adapted to assist the animal
In crossing Icy surfaces. having considerable
growth OF hair between the hoofs which undoubt
edly has the function as that on the under
oart of the paw of the polar bear
During the long Arctic winter the muskox
at large the snow-covered barren
wastes that it inhabits frequenting those parts
where It best obtain the few chens and
scanty mosses that form its sustenance and
which 1t RECEIVERS by removing the great depth OF
snow with its hoofs. At this time of the year the
muskoxen assemble In herds, much that they
might huddle together for protection during the
great billiards. and better to repe the attacks Of
the then almost starving Arctic wolves prac
ticaIly their sole enemy. from which by this and
other tactics they able to ward of the attacks
of wild beasts AS the case with the Amer
lean bison and the buffalo wolf the yoaug and
however fall an easy prey to the hungry lurkers
The muskox swiftly. but maintain a
galop for but short time. when. turning about,
1t faces its pursuer forming. into long line II
attacked from but one point. and into circl> II
from several With glaring eyes and paving
hoofs 1t awaits the approach of the intruder. when
apparently having sufficiently recuperated from
the exertion, It again gallops OF. only to make
another stand farther But ordinary
can soon exhaust them by repeatedly putting
them to flight. However the muskox does not
always fly at the approach of man, and In mute
stupidity a whole herd will stand in line and
allow themselves to be shot down by single
hunter who viii have no difficulty in securing