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16 



THE AMEEICAK EISOIs^S. 



iattf^ 



Its size, however, as given by Dr. Harlan,* shows it to have been 



of about the size of or at least not larger than corresponding parts of Bison 



mttiqims from California. 



As alreadv remarked, the horn-cores of Bison latiYrons have fully twice the 



dimensions of the largest horn-cores of Bison prisms of Europe, this dis- 



^ I 



crepancy at once indicating the two species to be animals possessing very 

 diverse characters. In the subjoined table is given in a single comparative 

 view the measurements of the skulls and cranial fragments. of all the forms 

 of fossil bisons thus far described, which in the present paper are referred to 



latif-j 



The 



r 



first-named is the smallest, with relatively small, short, much curved, and 

 abruptly conoidal horns; the second is but little larger, apparently, in 

 eneral size, but has somewhat longer, less curved, slenderer, and 'more 



radually tapering horns ; the third is apparently considerably larger even 

 than the second, with immensely greater horn-cores, which when covered 

 by the horns must have had a spread at the tip of between ten and twelve 

 feet 



TABLE 111. 



4 



Measurements of Skulls or Extinct Bisons. 



■^ 



Anterior border of preniaxilUe to occipi- 

 tal crest - 



Fronto-nasal suture to occipital crest, . 



"Width of forelicad at naj-rowcst part 



(between orbits and horn-cores)-/,. 



Distance between edges of tlie orbits.. 

 Distance between bases of liorn-corcs. . 

 Width of occiput 



> 



Length of horn-cores, upper side,.,.,. 

 Circumference of horn-cores at base 



D!sta,.nce between extreme tips of horn^ 

 cores - • • 



Length of nasals , < , ,. . 



Length of molar scries of maxilla 



^ 



Bison 

 anticLuus. 



Bison priscus. 



3T0 



« 4 4 



» h 



343 



337 



4-20 



338 

 360 



900 



« * 4 

 4 4* 



646 



« * 



380 



* * 



4 t * 



330 

 936 



* 4 



365 

 383 



649 

 3,23 



360 



355 

 297 

 ... 514 



391 



4 * 



228 



4 « 4 



380 



105S 

 222 



188 



369 

 303 

 292 

 564 



415 



+ * 



360 

 269 

 759 



417 



996 1382 



« 4 



8 



t k 



374 



437 

 291 

 546 



364 



1236 



4 « 



379 

 404 

 310 



487 



382 

 1032 



« 4 * 



10 11 



341 

 307 



* « 



692 



377 

 1034 



> 4 fr 



340 

 309 



270 

 496 



375 



992 



V « * 



12 



13 



* 1 * 



356 



1738 

 418 



* 4 



351 

 366 



281 

 632 



373 



14 



15 



16 



Bison 

 latifrons, 



17 



1066 1068 



4 • * 



368 

 379 



465 



308 



340 



380 

 350 



630 



288 



351 



18 



450 



389 350 



950 1095 



380 



4 > 4 



413 



fe ■ 



520 



IS 



4 4* 



4 V * 



• 4 * 



407 





■ 4 * 



813 



497 510 



# * * 



4 V 



-.^ 



Explanation of T 



,-. ■-- ^ 



n V_^ •^^ 



III 



1. Bison antiquus Leidy. Big-bone Lick specimen. 



2: Bison antiquus. Specimen from California described by Dr. Leidy. 



3. Bison antiquus, California. Measurements communicated by Dr. J. G. Cooper. 



4. Bison prisons Meyer. Specimen from Bjersjoblm, Scania. Measurements from Nilsson, as quoted 



by Dr. Kichardson. 



* Amer. Journ. Sci. Vol. XLHI, p. 143, 1842. 



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