DELINEATIONS

OF

THE OX TRIBE.

THE SANGA OR GALLA OX OF ABYSSINIA, v. p. 120.

DELINEATIONS

OF

THE OX TRIBE;

OR,

THE NATURAL HISTORY OF

BULLS, BISONS, AND BUFFALOES.

EXHIBITING

ALL THE KNOWN SPECIES

AND THE MORE REMARKABLE VARIETIES

OF

THE GENUS BOS.

BY GEORGE VASEY.

ILLUSTRATED BY 72 ENGRAVINGS ON WOOD, BY THE AUTHOR.

LONDON:
PUBLISHED BY G. BIGGS, 421, STRAND.
1851.

C. AND J. ADLARD, PRINTERS, BARTHOLOMEW CLOSE.

TO

WILLIAM YARRELL, Esq., F.L.S., F.Z.S.,

WHOSE SCIENTIFIC WORKS ON ZOOLOGY

PLACE HIM IN THE FIRST RANK OF NATURALISTS;

AND, MOREOVER,

WHOSE UNOSTENTATIOUS KINDNESS IN CONSULTING THE FEELINGS

AND ADVANCING THE INTERESTS OF OTHERS

IS RARELY EQUALLED,

This Volume is inscribed,

BY HIS SINCERE FRIEND AND ADMIRER,

THE AUTHOR.

[Pg ix]

PREFACE.

The primary object of the present work, is to give as correct andcomprehensive a view of the animals composing the Ox Tribe, as thepresent state of our knowledge will admit, accompanied by authenticfigures of all the known species and the more remarkable varieties.

Although this genus (comprising all those Ruminants called Buffaloes,Bisons, and Oxen generally,) is as distinct and well characterised asany other genus in the animal kingdom, yet the facts which are atpresent known respecting the various species which compose it, are notsufficiently numerous to enable the naturalist to divide them intosub-genera. This is abundantly proved by the unsuccessful result ofthose attempts which have already been made to arrange them into minorgroups. Nor can we wonder at this want of success, when we consider thateven many of the species usually regarded as distinct are by no meansclearly defined.

The second object, therefore, of this treatise, is (by bringing intojuxta-position all the most important facts concerning the variousindividual specimens which have been described, and by adding severalother facts of importance[Pg x] which have not hitherto been noticed,) toenable the naturalist to define, more correctly than has yet been done,the peculiarities of each species.

A third object is to direct the attention of travellers moreparticularly to this subject; in order that, by their exertions, ourinformation upon this class of animals may be rendered more complete.

A new and important feature in the present Monograph, is theintroduction of a Table of the Number of Vertebræ, carefully constructedfrom an examination of the actual skeletons, by which will be seen at aglance the principal osteological differences of species which havehitherto been confounded with each other. A Table of the Periods ofGestation is likewise added, which presents some equally interestingresults.

Several of the descriptions have been verified by a reference to theliving animals, seven specimens of which are at present (1847) in theGardens of the Zoological Society, Regent's Park. The several Museums inthe Metropolis have likewise been consulted with advantage.

I am indebted to Judge ...