BO'VTDIE (Lat. bog, an ox). a family of ruminating manimalin (see IlumixANTrA), to which different limits have been assigned by different naturalists, but which is gen erally regarded as equal in extent to the Littman genus box, or to what is popularly called the ox tribe. The 13. are all large animals, with stout limbs and broad muzzle. The facial outline is nearly straight. Their dentition agrees with that of some of the other ruininants, as sheep, goats, and antelopes: they have eight cutting-teeth in the lower jaw. and none in the upper, but instead of them, n li•ous and elastic pad. which covers the convex extremity of the anterior maxillary-bone; they have no canine teeth, but a large interval between the cutting-teeth and the grinders, which are six on each side in each jaw. In eating, they collect and roll the grass together " by means of the long and movable. tongue; it is firmly held between the lower cutting-teeth and the pad. the cartilaginous tipper lip nssising in this; and then, by a sudden nodding motion of the head, the little roll of herbage is either torn or cut off, or partly both torn and cut." Both sexes are furnished with unbranched tapering horns, which are directed more or less laterally. and generally upwards and forwards, and are usually curved throughout their whole length. There are, however, breeds of the common ox, in which both sexes are destitute of horns. The tail is rather long, and terminated by a tuft of long hair.
The females have four teats. All the B. are gregarious. Native species are found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. Fossil remains of species which no longer exist have been found in plioccnc and pleistocene deposits. The number of existing species iS by no means certain; as, besides the difficulty of deciding in some eases what are to be deemed species, and what merely varieties, there is stillagTcat deficiency of accurate information concerning the B. of different parts of the world. The very mag nitude of the animals has probably prevented so frequent n comparison of specimens as would otherwise have taken place. It has recently been ascertained that the number of species is more considerable than had been supposed. Attempts have been made to divide the genus boa into several genera, but they are not very clearly nor strongly dis tinguished. All the B. are valuable to man, for their tlesli, tallow, skin. ete.; but some of them, having long been reduces] to domestication, are among the most valuable of all domestic animals, particularly the common ox, different kinds of buffalo, and the yak of Tartary.—See ARNEli, BANTENG, BYSON BUFFALO, GAUD, GAYAL, GALLA Ox, ON, Ox, PEGASSE, URUS, YAK, ZAMOUSE, ZEBU, etc.