No. 2328. PLEISTOCENE VERTEBRATES IN UNITED STATES— HAY. 127 



belonged to different individuals, but their color and manner of fos- 

 silization appear to associate them. One of these (pi. 8, figs. 1, 2) 

 has the rear of the centrum 70 mm. deep, 95 mm. wide, and 53 mm. 

 long. Apparently the neural arches stood on pedicels, which remain 

 and show a deep pit. The other dorsal has part of the arch remain- 

 ing, but the spine and most of the lateral processes are gone. The 

 depth of the centrum is 56 mm. ; the width, at the level of the spinal 

 canal, 73 mm. ; the length, 55 mm. 



The lumbar vertebra (pi. 8, fig. 3) appears to belong about the 

 middle of the series. It has lost the nexiral arch and the lateral 

 processes, but the centrum is well preserved. The articular ends are 

 nearly flat. The length is 59 mm. ; the height behind is 54 mm. ; the 

 width 56 mm. between the ends the bone is somewhat constricted. 

 The spinal canal is 25 mm. wide. This lumbar differs from those of 

 Ovihos in being higher than wide ; the fourth of O. nioschatus being 

 37 mm. high and 55 mm. wide. 



BISON, sp. indet. 



Remains of one or more species of Bison were found in the exca- 

 vation at Afton. Among these remains are upper and lower teeth, 

 incisors, premolars, and molars. Probably some of them belonged to 

 the existing bison, but others pretty certainly to one or more extinct 

 species. Inasmuch as no horn cores were found, the species can not 

 be determined. Eight teeth (Cat. No. 9122), belonging to at least 

 two individuals, are regarded especially as being those of an extinct 

 species. They appear to be well mineralized and they have the 

 enamel blackened. They are fully as large as the largest teeth of the 

 existing buffalo. In the department of anthropology there are other 

 similar teeth. Other teeth present little evidence of any considerable 

 geological age, but this may be deceptive. 



There are present also an anterior left cannon bone (Cat. No. 

 9124), a tibia (Cat. No. 9119), and an astragulus (Cat. No. 9127), 

 all of which are apparently fossilized and are heavy and contain 

 little animal matter. 



BISON BISON (Linnaeus). 



In the spring at Afton there was found a nearly complete skull, 

 which evidently was that of a cow bison of the existing species. The 

 bone is not greatly changed from its original condition. Among the 

 loose teeth are some which are white and fresh in appearance and 

 which are probably those of Bison hison. Others more or less stained 

 with iron and more mineralized must for the present remain uniden- 

 tified. The skull belongs in the department of anthropology. 



