MAMMALS OF MINNESOTA. 259 
The forehead in the bison is actually and relatively wider 
than in the ox, the horns also are set farther forward while 
the plane of the occiput is semicircular forming an obtuse 
instead of acute angle with the forehead. The intermaxillar- 
ies are triangular and shorter than the nasals. The spines of 
the dorsal vertebree are elongated, the limb bones are less mas- 
sive than in Bos and the cannon bone of the hind limb is rela- 
tively longer. 








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Fig. 19. Bison europeus. 
While a great deal has been written upon the genealogy of 
the bison the diversity of opinion is very striking. Ruetimeyer, 
Brandt, Lilljeborg, Vogt, Allen, Leidy and Schmidt have all 
given attention to the subject without placing it beyond dis- 
pute. It would seem most probable that the earliest bison 
properly so-called was the gigantic B. latifrons which may have 
had a circumpolar distribution. Since this species is found in. 
America only thus far it may be that America is the true place 
