92 Oxen 



6. Harlan's Bison — Bos latifrons {Extinct) 



Bos lat'ifrons^ Harlan, Fauna Americana^ p. 273 (1825) ; H. Smith, in 

 Griffith's Animal Kingdom^ vol. iv. p. 410 (1H27) ; Lvdekker, Horns and 

 Hoofs, p. 27 (^893). 



Bison latifrons, Leidy, Proc. Acad. Philadelphia, vol. vi. p. 117 (1852), 

 Extinct Vertebra ta Western Territories [U. S. Geo/. Survey), pp. 253 and 318 

 (1873) ; Allen, Mem. Mus. Harvard, vol. iv. p. 7 (1876) ; Wilckens, Biol. 

 Centra Iblatt, vol. v. p. 117 (1885) ; Lydekker, Cat. Foss. Mamm. Brit. 

 Mus. pt. ii. p. 27 (1885) ; Rhoads, Proc. Acad. Philadelphia, 1895, p. 245, 

 1897, P- 5°° 5 Stewart, Kansas Quarterly, vol. v. p. 127 (1897). 



Characters. — The enormous size, wide, tiat forehead, and long, nearly 

 straight horn-cores seem to indicate the specific distinctness of this southern 

 form from Bos priscus. In a skull in the British Museum from the Brazos 

 river, Texas, the horn-cores, although very imperfect, measure 45 inches 

 along the curve, with a basal girth of \b], inches ; the frontal width being 

 14 inches. When complete, the length along the curve must have been at 

 least 60 inches. 



Distribution. — The southern United States, especially eastern Kentucky 

 and Texas, during the Plistocene period. 



7. The Central American Bison — Bos scaphoceros [Extinct) 



Bison scaphoceros. Cope, "Journ. Acad. Philadelphia, 1895, p. 457; 

 Rhoads, Proc. Acad. Philadelphia, 1897, p. 500. 



Characters. — The extreme southern range oi this form is in favour of 

 its right to specific distinctness ; and, in any case, renders it of special 

 interest as marking the extreme southern limit reached by any member of 

 the hollow-horned ruminants in America. The horn-cores are remarkable 

 for their abrupt curvature, and are also relatively stout. 



