Miscellaneous. 399 
brosus. In several of the specimens (and this is apparently true 
of all the Actinocrini), the opening into this convoluted sac is wider 
at the apex, and becomes gradually attenuated below and pointed 
toward the centre of the basal plates, where it is attached. The lower 
portion is twisted not unlike the lower portion of some univalve shells, 
and this ofgan in one specimen presents a very close resemblance to 
a small Bulla or similar shell. In Actinoecrinus longirostris this 
organ is proportionately very large, the sides straighter and less 
curved, and very wide at the top.— Proc. Boston Soc. IN LEX 
On the Fossil British Oven.—Part I. Bos Urus, Cesar. 
By W. Boyp Dawkrns, Esq., M.A., F.R.S. 
The problem of the origin of our domestic races of cattle was 
considered by the author to be capable of solution only after a care- 
ful examination of each of the three European fossil species of Oxen, 
namely, Bos Urus of Cesar, B. longifrons of Owen, and B. bison of 
Pliny. In this paper he began the inquiry with Bos Urus, Cesar, 
being the Bos primigenius of Bojanus, and he arrived at the con- 
clusion that between this species and Bos Taurus, or the common 
Ox, there is no difference of specific value, though the difference in 
size and some other characters of minor value render the bones of 
the two varieties capable of recognition. After giving the synonymy 
of Bos Urus in some detail, and measurements of the different bones 
as represented by specimens from a number of localities, Mr. Boyd 
Dawkins described the range of the species in space and time, show- 
ing that it coexisted in Britain with the Mammoth, Rhinoceros lepto- 
rhinus, R. megarhinus, and R, tichorhinus, and was associated with 
Elephas antiquus, Felis spelwa, Ursus speleus, U.arctos, Bos priscus, 
Megaceros Hibernicus, Cervus elaphus, C. tarandus, Equus fossilis, 
&c., and held its ground during the Prehistoric period, after most 
of these animals had become extinct or retreated from this country. 
The precise date of its extinction in Britain was stated to be 
somewhat uncertain, although the author inclined to the belief that 
it existed in the wild state as late as the middle of the 12th century ; 
while on the continent it seems probable that it lingered until the 
loth century. The author then endeavoured to explain its gradual 
diminution in size by the progressive encroachment of cultivation on 
its old haunts; and in conclusion stated his belief that at least the 
larger cattle of Western Europe are the descendants of the Bos Urus, 
modified in many respects by restricted range, but still more by the 
domination of man.—Proc. Geol. Soc. March 21, 1866. 
Note on the Presence of Teeth on the Maaille of Spiders. 
By Miss STAVELEY. 
I do not find in Dr. Blackwall’s ‘ Monograph of the British Spi- 
ders,’ or in M. Simon’s ‘ Histoire Naturelle des Arandides,’ or in 
any other work which I have had an opportunity of consulting, 
that the occurrence of teeth on the maxillz of Spiders has been 
noticed. 
