756 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



conditions under wliicli they liave been found all species might have 

 been coeval, although this is naturally highly imijrobable. Bison bison 

 has been found in a mineralized condition beneath 25 feet of gravel, 

 B. crassicornis has been found in a fairly fresh state on the tundra of 

 Alaska, while B. latifrons has been found semifossilized at Big Bone 

 Lick, Kentucky, and well mineralized at Peace Greek, Florida. 



In regard to geographical distribution, it may be said that Bison 

 crassicornis has not been found outside of Alaska; B. antiquus is not 

 definitely known to occur farther east than Big Bone Lick, Ken- 

 tucky; and that no species save B. latifrons is certainly known from 

 Florida and other Southern localities, while it has not been found on 

 the Pacific coast, horn cores ascribed to this species being really those 

 of B. antiquus. B. occidentalis is so far known from Kansas and Alaska. 



The changes of nomenclature proposed in this article are as follows: 



Bison occidentalis is proposed for a species occurring in Alaska and 

 Kansas. 



Bison alaskensis Ehoads, is considered a synonym of B. crassicornis 

 Richardson. 



Bison californicus Rhoads, is considered a synonym of B. antiquus 

 Leidy. 



Bos scaphocevas Cope, is considered to be an Ovis. 



Bos crampianus Cope, is considered a synonym of B. alleni Marsh. 



Bos arizonica Blake, is considered as a synonym of B. latifrons 

 (Harlan). 



Bison appalachicolus Ehoads, needs no consideration, being confess 

 edly based on a horn core of Ovibos,^ nor does Bison alticornis Marsh, 

 ir having been founded on the horn cores ot a dinosaur, Triceratopsr 



As for Bos scaphoceras Cope,^ the conviction has been forced upon me 

 after careful consideration that this is not a Bison, but an Ovis, a con- 

 clusion concurred in by Dr. F. W. True. Dr. J. A. Allen, and Mr. G. S. 

 Miller, jr. The t^pe of this from northern Nicaragua and now in the 

 Museum of the University of Pennsylvania may be described as follows : 



Horn cores short and robust, circumference at base greatly exceeding 

 length on concave face; subtriangular in section, flattened on concave 

 face, transverse diameter greater than vertical; strongly recurved with 

 tips directed slightly backwards. 



The texture, structure, curvature, and subtriangular shape are like 

 one of the big-horned sheep, such as Ovis amnion, the horn core being 

 more triangular in section than that of our Ovis montana. The species 

 will stand, but the genus must be changed. This extension of the 

 range of the genus Ovis southwards is in accordance with the range of 

 existing species. 



' Proc Acad. Xat. Sci., Phila., 1897, p. 492. 

 -Am. .Journ. Sci., XXXVIII, 1889, p. 174. 



■ r.o8 species Leidy, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 1886, p. 275. Bos scaphoceras Cope, 

 Journ. Acad. Nat Sci., Phila., IX, 1894, p. 457, pi. xxii, figs. 5-9. 



