\N EXTINCT AMERICAN ELAND 



By JAMES WILLIAMS GIDLEY 

 assistan1 curator of fossil mammals, u. s. national muse1 m 



(With One Plate) 



While making a preliminary investigation in October, 1912, of 

 some recently discovered Pleistocene cave deposits near Cumberland, 

 Maryland, the writer secured, among other new and interesting mam- 

 mal remains, 1 a series of five upper cheek teeth representing an 

 extinct species of antelope, apparently very closely allied to the eland 

 now living in Africa. This important specimen furnishes the basis 

 of the present communication and constitutes the type of a new 

 species which is described below. 



TAUROTRAGUS AMERICANUS, new species 

 Plate 1 



Type.- The upper cheek-teeth of the right side except p 2 . ( No, 

 7622 U. S. National Museum). 



Description. — Teeth progressively hypsodont, rapidly narrowing 

 from base to summit transversely, and sharply constricted anteropos- 

 terior!}' at base, as in the living species of this genus; meta- and 

 parastyles less developed than in Taurotragus oryx; metastyle of 

 last molar slightly recurving outward, not extending backward 

 beyond the posterior border of the tooth crown;" mesostyles of the 

 molars somewhat more strongly produced than in the living species; 

 premolars simple, but with a tendency to angulation of the inner 

 posterior wall of the inner crescent, as in the bongo. 



These teeth are of a young adult specimen in which the last molar 

 had just come into use, hence they are at the stage in growth when 

 their characters can be studied to the best advantage. They bear a 

 most striking resemblance to the corresponding teeth of the living 



'A report of the discovery with brief description of the other material 

 secured is now under preparation for publication at an early date. 



2 This character is common to the species of this group and distinguishes 

 them sharply from the Ovibovines in which the last upper molar has a con 

 spicuous posterior pillar formed by the backward extension id" the metastyle. 



Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Vol. 60, No. 27 



