THE AMEEICAN BISONS. 



29 



3. Fragment from California (Whitney's Coll), 18 mm. long, — portion extending from tlie inner angle 



to the front ed^e of first molar. 



4. Fragment from California. (National Museum Coll.) 



5. Georgia specimen. (Measurements in part from Harlanj and in part from Owen's figure.) 



Wash 



f 



a 



a lower jaw (No. 8270 of the National Museum Register), consisting of 

 large part of one ramus, from Alameda County, California, presented by Dr. 

 L. G. Yates.* This specimen is of about the size of the larger of the two 

 California specimens already described. 



Dr. Harlan's measurements of the Georgia specimen, determined by aid 

 of Prof Owen's figure,! are also added to the table. As already stated, it 

 indicates a species as large as Bison antiqimSy the jaw being heavier and 



r 



thicker even than in the largest known specimen of that species. The 

 length of the molar series seems, however, a little less^ but this measure- 



^ 



ment can be only approximately determined. 



Of the metacarpal bones of Bison antiqims but a single specimen is 

 known. This was collected by Mr. J. Lockhart, and is contained in the 



National Museum at Washino-ton. It is about one tenth longer than the 



female), Bison honasiis (male), and of a 



largest metacarpal of Bison americanus I have been able to find, and is rela- 

 tively much stouter. It is also rather longer and stouter than the corre- 

 sponding part in a very large old male Bison oonasiis. It hence about 

 equals the size of this part in Bison prisciis,- In Table VII will be found 

 measurements of this bone as compared with those of the corresponding 

 part in Bison amerieanits (male 

 large domestic bull. 



Having at hand a large series of metacarpal bones of^Bison americanus, I 

 add here a table of measurements showing the range of variation in this 

 part, resulting from age, sex, and individual differentiation, found in a 

 series of nearly a hundred specimens. This series shows that some of the 

 specimens belonging to females are as long as the average of the males, and 



* Since tlic foregoing was put in type I have received a letter from Di\ Yates, dated *' Centreville, Ala- 

 meda Co., CaL, Jan. 29, 1876," announeing tlie recent discovery by liim of another skull of the fossil bison in 

 California. He says : '^ found a splendid specimen last week which I shall preserve. It consists of the 

 skull, with three molar teeth on one side, and the greater portion of the honvcores. It was so soft that I 

 had to bed it in plaster before I could take it out." He adds that '' the skull was found in post-pliocene 

 gravel, about ten feet from the spot where I found the skull of a fossil elephant some ten years ago, and in 

 the same deposit where I have found Mastodon, Equus^ Auclienia^ etc." 



t Journ, Acad Nat. Sci. Phila., 2d Ser., Vol. I, pi. vi. 



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