What does 「もつか」 mean in this sentence?


I've been reading a novel and found this sentence.

> 牛のデカイ後頭部を見下ろしたの **もつか** の間、頭部と胴体の間から鳩がでてきた.

What does もつか mean here?




You are parsing the phrase incorrectly.

It is 「～～も/つかの間」.

「つかの[間]{ま}」 means a "moment".

> 「Phrase A + も + つかの間、 + Phrase B」

= **"B happens as soon as A happens."**

**_"No sooner had I looked down on the back of the cow's huge head than a
pigeon popped out from between its head and body."_**

(What in the world am I translating in the middle of the night?)

