On a fossil Ox from the Mississippi. 287 



are not parallel, but form a considerable angle with each 

 other. It remains to compare it with the only living ani- 

 mal to which it bears any resemblance. 



The musk ox is now only found within the arctic circle, 

 although we have abundant reason to believe, that it formerly 

 extended as far south as 55°, and 50° north latitude. Indeed, 

 Pennant states,* on the authority of Lopes Gomarra, that 

 they descended formerly as low down as the fortieth degree of 

 north latitude. Our specimen comes from New-Madrid, in 

 36° 15' north latitude. 



We have carefully compared it with the excellent descrip- 

 tion given by Cuvier of the musk ox, and find strong points 

 of resemblance. We notice the following differences. 1. The 

 front of the musk ox, according to Cuvier, is perfectly flat. 

 In our fossil it is deeply depressed, but this depression, as we 

 before stated, may not have existed to such an extent in the 

 living animal. And it is not improbable, that the whole 

 external plate of the os frontis has been entirely removed. 



2. The distance from the occipital foramen, to the facial 

 surface of the os frontis, is greater than in the musk ox. 



3. The most remarkable difference is to be found in the posi- 

 tion of the horns. From the remains of the bony processes 

 in the New-Madrid specimen, it is, I think, evident that 

 the longest axis of the horns has been in the same direction 

 with the bones of the face. This, it will be perceived, is im- 

 portant, as modifying in a great degree, the whole structure 

 and configuration of the cranium. 



Failing then in our attempts to discover a perfect resem- 

 blance between this specimen and similar parts in the musk 

 ox, let us inquire whether any of the fossil remains found in 

 any part of the world, will throw further light on the subject. 



Pallasj- was the first who described the cranium of an ani- 



* Arctic Zoology, I. f Nov. Comm, Petropol. XVII. p. 601. 



