Читать книгу The Circle of Knowledge: A Classified, Simplified, Visualized Book of Answers - Various - Страница 254

It is impossible to overestimate the importance of this order, because all the domestic animals which are used for food belong to it.

The name Ungulata is derived from the Latin word ungula, which signifies a nail, claw, or hoof. The Ungulates, which are all vegetable feeders except the pig and the peccary, include the largest of all the mammals, save only the whale and the sea elephant.

Antelope (Antilopidæ).—The family of antelopes is a very large one, and includes many important species. It belongs to the order of Ruminants in which the horns consist of a horny sheath, surrounding a bony process of the skull, and are permanent, not annually renewed. The body is slender and deer-like, the feet small and elegant, the tail short and tufted, the hair generally short, and the color often lively. Some species, however, have comparatively long hair; and a few which inhabit cold mountainous regions are clothed with wool mixed with longer and coarser hair, as in the chamois of the Alps, Caucasus, etc.; the Rocky Mountain goat of North America; and the chiru of the Himalayas. The females of many species, as of deer, are destitute of horns; and if they alone came under observation, it would be difficult to say to which genus they belonged. The size is very various; the guevi, or pigmy antelope of Africa (Antilope pygmæa), is only eight to nine inches high at the shoulders, while the largest forms measure five or six feet. Almost all the species of antelopes are peaceable, timid animals, and are distinguished by agility and fleetness. most of them are gregarious. Some inhabit plains; others are found only in the most inaccessible mountainous regions; others still, dwell in jungles and deep forests. Many, on the other hand, are water-loving forms, and frequent the banks of rivers.

North America possesses two species, found only in the western parts of the continent, the prong-horn (Antilocapra) and the Rocky Mountain goat (Aplocerus), which depart considerably from the typical character of the genus. The prong-horn sheds the horns annually like most species of deer. Europe produces only the Alpine chamois and the saiga (A. saiga), which inhabits the southern plains of Poland and Russia. Most species are African, and take the place of the true deer in that continent. The Springbok is goat-like in form and movement; the Gnu, with a body resembling that of a horse, but with forward-directed, hook-shaped horns; the Eland, or Cape Elk, with nearly straight backward-directed spiral horns; and the Gazelle, of north Africa, with nearly upright horns and noted for the luster of its eyes. In India is the curious Chickara, the females of which are hornless, while the males have four horns.

Bison.—The name applied to two species of ox. One of these, the European bison, or aurochs, (Bos bison or Bison europæus), is now nearly extinct, being found only in the forests of Lithuania and the Caucasus. The other, or American bison, improperly termed buffalo (Bison americanus), is found only in the region lying north and south between the Great Slave Lake and the Yellowstone River, and is rapidly becoming extinct in the wild state, though formerly to be met with in immense herds. The two species closely resemble each other, the American bison, however, being for the most part smaller, and with shorter and weaker hind-quarters. The bison is remarkable for the great hump or projection over its fore-shoulders, at which point the adult male is almost six feet in height; and for the long, shaggy rust-colored hair over the head, neck, and forepart of the body. In summer, from the shoulders backward, the surface is covered with a very short, fine hair, smooth and soft as velvet. The tail is short and tufted at the end. The American bison used to be much hunted for sport as well as for its flesh and skin. Its flesh is rather coarser grained than that of the domestic ox, but was considered by hunters and travelers as superior in tenderness and flavor. The hump is highly celebrated for its richness and delicacy. Their skins, especially that of the cow, dressed in the Indian fashion, with the hair on, make admirable defenses against the cold, and are known as buffalo robes; the wool has been manufactured into hats, and a coarse cloth. The American bison has been found to breed readily with the common ox, the issue being fertile among themselves.

Buffalo. See Bison.

Chamois (Capella rupicapra).—This European representative of the Antelope family attains the size of a goat. It is red in summer, and dark brown in the winter, the lower portion of the body being lighter, while a dark, brownish-black band reaches from the corner of the mouth to the eyes. It has small, erect horns, which are curved backwards at the tips. The chamois is found in herds, numbering from five to twenty, in the Carpathian Mountains, the Pyrenees, and the Apennines; but most frequently in the Alps of Bavaria and Styria. It feeds on the buds of Alpine herbs and trees. When pursued it will leap down the most precipitous cliffs. The peculiar flavor of the flesh of these animals, especially of the young ones, is greatly appreciated by many persons. Out of their skin, a leather is manufactured noted for its softness. The horns are utilized for handles of various kinds.

Deer (Cervidæ) are animals of graceful form, combining much compactness and strength with slenderness of limb and fleetness. They use their horns for weapons of defense and offense; but in general they trust to flight for their safety. They have a long neck, a small head, which they carry high, large ears, and large, full eyes. Many have scent glands, usually beneath the eyes, which serve as sexual attractions. Deer are distinguished from all other ruminants by their branching horns (antlers), which in most species exist in the male only; they are solid, fall off annually, and are renewed with increase of size, and number of branches, according to the kind, until the animal has reached old age.

Deer are found in almost all parts of the globe except Australia and the south of Africa, their place in the latter region being supplied by antelopes; the greater number inhabit the warmer temperate countries, and they are chiefly found in wide plains and hills of moderate height. The flesh (venison) of most kinds of deer is highly esteemed for the table, and they have long been regarded as among the noblest objects of the chase. Only one species, the reindeer, can be said to have been fully domesticated.

Elk (Cervus alces).—This animal is the largest representative of the genus of stags. It is the size of a horse, and its head is adorned with large antlers. The elk inhabits the northern regions of Europe and America. It is hunted for the sake of its excellent flesh, but the hunting of this strong and swift animal is attended with many dangers. It swims across the largest rivers. The Elk of Europe is called Moose in America.

Fallow Deer (Cervus capreolus).—Nearly everybody has seen this graceful animal. It attains the size of a goat. The head of the male, the roebuck, is adorned with small but strong antlers, which are shed every year at the end of autumn. The fallow deer go about in troops, and feed on grass, clover, corn, and fruit. Their young are called kids, and the female, does. They are hunted for the sake of their flesh.

Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) is much larger than the fallow deer, and is the grandest animal of the higher species of game. The male carries large, branching antlers, which it loses in February of each year. The antlers of the one-year-old stag are like a spear, in the second year they are fork-shaped, and in those appearing later two more prongs are added each year. The stag has a greyish-brown fur. During the day it remains in the recesses of the forests; in the evening and night it roams in herds in search of food, which consists of various grasses and herbs, and the twigs and bark of trees. It runs with great swiftness when scenting danger, and will wade, or swim rivers and lakes.

OKAPI (Page 202)	ZEBRA (Page 203)

Gayal (Bibos frontalis), a species of ox, which is found in the mountains of Aracan, Chittagong, Tipura, and Sylhet. It is about the size of the Indian buffalo, is dark brown, and has short curved horns.

Gazelle (Gazella Dorcas), is a species of antelope about the size of a roebuck, but of lighter and more graceful form, with longer and more slender limbs. It is of a light tawny color, the under parts white; a broad brown band along each flank; the hair short and smooth. The face is reddish fawn-color, with white and dark stripes. The horns of the old males are nine or ten inches long, bending outward and then inward, like the sides of a lyre, also backward at the base and forward at the tips, tapering to a point, surrounded by thirteen or fourteen permanent rings, the rings near the base being closest together and most perfect. The ears are long, narrow, and pointed; the eyes very large, soft, and black; there is a tuft of hair on each knee; the tail is short, with black hairs on its upper surface only, and at its tip. The gazelle is a native of the North of Africa, and of Syria, Arabia and Persia.

Giraffe (Camelopardalis giraffa).—This strange looking animal has the head of the horse, the neck and hoof of the stag, the callous breast of the camel, and the spotted skin of the panther. On its forehead it has two horny excrescences. It attains a height of sixteen feet.

GIRAFFE (Page 201)

The giraffe lives in the wooded plains of central Africa, feeds on the leaves of trees, and is generally seen in small troops. Its rapidity is extraordinary; not even the Arabian horse can overtake it. It is often attacked by the lion, which lies in wait for it near the rivers and springs, where it comes to drink.

Gnu (Catoblepas), genus of antelopes of which the best known species has been often described as apparently made up of parts of different animals, not only of the antelope and the ox or buffalo, but even of the horse. This species (C. Gnu) is a native of South Africa; it has disappeared from the more settled parts of Cape Colony, but is to be seen in herds on the arid plains beyond these boundaries in company with small troops of zebras, and with flocks of ostriches. The size of the gnu is that of a large ass; the general color is yellowish-tawny. Both sexes have horns. The limbs are slender, like those of deer and antelopes. The gnu gallops with great speed. It has been usually represented as a very fierce [202] animal, and certainly shows much ability to defend itself with its horns, when unable to escape from danger by flight; but when taken young it is easily tamed, and readily associates with oxen, accompanying them to and from the field.

Ibex or Wild Goat (Capra ibex).—Different species of the ibex inhabit the mountain regions of Europe and Asia. It has a greyish-yellow, long fur, and powerful horns bent obliquely backwards. It frequently attains a weight of two hundred pounds. It is a true mountain animal, and was formerly spread all over the Swiss and Tyrolese Alps, but is at present found only in limited numbers.

Markhor (Copra falconeri), from Tibet, Cashmere, and Afghanistan, is a strong, powerful goat, with corkscrew horns, much larger in the males, which are also distinguished by a thick mane on the neck and breast.

Musk-Ox (Ovibos moschatus).—The Musk-ox, or Musk-Sheep, has its home in central Asia and Arctic America. The male has in its upper jaw two incisors in the shape of tusks, and in a gland of its abdomen the well-known, strong-scented musk. In the forests of the Himalayas it is found at elevations of upwards of eight thousand five hundred feet. A full-grown animal weighs about four hundred and fifty pounds. They live in herds, and feed on mosses, leaves and underbrush.

Okapi (Ocapia), a giraffe-like animal discovered by Sir H. H. Johnston in the Semliki forest in central Africa. Its neck and legs are shorter than in the giraffe, ears larger and broader. The general color of the upper parts is a slightly purplish chocolate-brown; buttocks and upper parts of fore and hind legs have wavy black stripes on a buff ground. The living okapi is classed with the giraffe group.

Sambur (Cervus aristotelis), a species of stag abundant in the forest-land of some parts of India, Burma, and China. It stands about five feet high, is a powerful animal, and is much hunted. The color is dark brown; the antlers are rounded, and belong to a type known as Rusine.

Tahr (Hemitragus jemlaicus), a goat-like animal, differs from the true goats, especially in the absence of a beard. The male is generally from three to three and a half feet in height at the shoulder; the horns seldom exceed fifteen inches in length. The doe is a smaller animal. The coat is fawn brown in color, and is long on the neck, chest, and shoulders. The home of the Tahr is chiefly in the elevated forest regions of the Himalayas; and it frequents almost inaccessible spots.

Vicuna (Auchenia vicugna) is a species of the South American animals allied to the camels. The vicuna lives wild, and frequents the most desolate parts of the Cordillera, at great elevations, delighting in a kind of grass, the yehu, which abounds there in moist places. The small herds commonly include from six to fifteen females with one male. When the females are quietly grazing, the male stands apart, and carefully keeps guard, giving notice of danger by a kind of whistling sound, and a quick movement of foot. The soft wool is much valued for weaving.

Wild Goats.—See Ibex, Markhor, Tahr.

Zebra (Equus zebra).—The true zebra is a native of South Africa; lives in troops, and is very swift and savage, and therefore difficult to tame. Its general color is creamy white, marked with black cross-stripes everywhere except the belly. The Quagga, its nearest relative, has legs and entire hind-quarters unstriped. It is hunted by the natives for the sake of its beautiful fur and its savory flesh and is also a favorite food of the lion.