20 Cviciimati Society of Natural History. 



American Ox," published in Smithsonian Contril)iitions to Know- 

 ledge, Vol. V, part III. 



Breadth of forehead between bases of horn cores. 15 inches. 



Circumference of horn cores at base 20:^ •• 



" " 10 inches from base 17.V 



Considering the two generic names used in connection with 

 this specimen Bison latifrons, Leidy, and Bos latifrons, Harlan, it 

 may be well to state the characteristics of the two genera. 



The genus Bison is thus defined by Hodgson: ' 'Skull less massive 

 than in Bos or Bibos, facial portion longer and more finely tapering. 

 Superior portion of forehead transversely arched, intercornual 

 space centrally elevated, viewed anteriorly this portion is a trun- 

 cated cone, posterior aspect of skull is triangular, more extensive 

 man in Bos but greatly less so in Bibos. 



Horn cores of Bison subcylindrical, upper border is concave. 



Of the genus Bos, Lydekker says : The superior border of 

 horn cores is at first convex. In typical species the intercornual 

 space is straight and the horn cores are cylindrical, in some aber- 

 rant varieties the horn cores are compressed, and the intercornual 

 space is somewhat arcuated, f 



It is with special reference to the fossil remains of the species Bi- 

 son latifrons which are deposited in the Museum of the Cincinnati 

 Society of Natural History, that this paper is written. These remains 

 consist of a pair of fossil horn cores in a very perfect state of preser- 

 vation, and indicating an ox of mammoth size.* The cores were 

 found in 1869, on Brush Creek, Brown Co., Ohio, while excavating 

 tor the piers of a bridge. They lay about 18 feet below the surface, 

 in the Drift deposit which in Brown Co., lies immediately upon the 

 Cincinnati group of the Lower Silurian. The cores were brought to 

 Cmcinnati, and for a time were the property of a German citizen 

 living in the northern part of the city. They were incidentally 

 brought to the notice of Dr. O. D. Norton, to whom they were 

 loaned for exhibition before the Cincinnati Society of Natural 

 History, when the Society had rooms in the College Building on 

 Walnut Street. Great interest was awakened concerning these 

 rare specimens, not only among our home scientists, but among all 

 to whom they became known. This was about the year 1874, 

 and during that year an article from the pen of Dr. Norton with re- 

 gard to these cores was published in the Cincinnati Gazette. 



*The writer is indebted to Mr. A. J. Carson for an excelleat photograph of these 

 specimens. 



ftJeol Sur. India, Pal. Ind., Ser. X. vol, i pt. 3. 



