A NEW RUMINANT FROM THE PLEISTOCENE OF NEW 



MEXICO. 



B}" James Williams Gidley, 



Of the Department of Geology. 



In excavating for the new irrigation dam at Black Rocks, 4^ miles 

 east of Zuni, New Mexico, a number of fossil bones have recently 

 been unearthed, which were preserved by Mr. John B. Harper, engi- 

 neer in charge of the work. These bones were secured and presented 

 to the U. S. National Museum by the Department of the Interior, 

 through Mr. F. E. Leupp, Commissioner of Indian Affairs. 



The little collection from Zuni contains teeth and bone fragments of 

 JElephas coliunhl and other characteristic Pleistocene species, together 

 with the top and back portions of a skull representing an undescribed 

 genus of the Bovida3 family, apparently closely related to Ovibos. 



This specimen, though incomplete and battered, is of especial interest, 

 coming from this locality. Its incompleteness and poor condition 

 make it a rather unsatisfactory type, yet there are sufficient distinctive 

 characters preserved to warrant its description. 



LIOPS, new genius. 



Generic characters. — Horn cores set wide apart and well back, as in 

 Ovibos^ but much less drooping; continuous with the frontals laterally, 

 with no burrs or rugosities at base; smooth throughout. Parietals 

 forming a large part of the occiput, which is high and narrow above. 

 No true lambdoidal crest. Foramen magnum about one and one-half 

 times greater in diameter than in Ovibos. Occipital condjdes set widely 

 apart, with their borders continuous with the surrounding bones. 

 Tympanic bone roughly triangular in shape, veiy smooth and flat, 

 with no bulla, and tightly inclosed by the surrounding elements. 

 Post-gleanoid process reduced to a low rounded knob. 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. XXX— No. 1447. 



165 



