5o8 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



especially the presence of a distinct notch between the blades 

 of the lower carnassial, are of a musteline type. Very interest- 

 ing is a short-jawed musteline described as Megalictis, with 

 teeth intermediate between those of Oligobunis and the living 

 Gulo and Mellivora, to which latter it appears nearly related. 



Certain new rodents, some referable to the well-known 

 beaver-like genus Steiicofiber, and others to the allied EiihapsiSy 

 are also described by Dr. Matthew ; but these may be passed 

 over without further notice. 



Of more general interest is Epigaiilits, a new horned rodent 

 from the Miocene of Kansas, described by Mr. J. W. Gidley 

 in the Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum (vol. xxxii. 

 p. 627). It is the most specialised member of the Mylagaulidae 

 yet discovered, with the large nasal horns placed just in front 

 of the orbits. Mr. Gidley concludes that while this extinct 

 group of specialised rodents has some remote affinities to the 

 beavers (Castoridae) and a nearer relationship to the squirrels 

 (Sciuridae) it has a greater number of characters in common with 

 the sewellels (Haplodontidse), and also shows certain resem- 

 blances in general proportions to some of the Asiatic mole-rats 

 (Spalacidae). The latter, however, seem due more to modification 

 of the skeleton for burrowing than to real relationship. In 

 tooth-development the Mylagaulidse have surpassed in specialisa- 

 tion the other Sciuromorpha, and could not have been ancestral 

 to any of the living forms. 



Squirrel-like rodents of the genera Parmnys and Sciiiravus, 

 from the Eocene deposits of the Wasatch and Wind Rivers, have 

 been described during the year by Mr. F. B. Loomis {Amer. 

 Journ. Sci. for February). Both genera are nearly related ; the 

 former, at any rate, exhibiting many squirrel-like characters, and 

 being probably one of the ancestral types of the modern family. 



The extermination of the urus, or aurochs — the ancient 

 European wild ox (Bos taunts primigcnins) — forms the subject 

 of a very interesting paper by Dr. A. Mertens published in 

 the Abhandluugcn iind Berichte of the Magdeburg Museum. The 

 author confirms the opinion that the name aurochs belongs to 

 this animal, although it has been misapplied to the bison. It is 

 likewise certain th?t in the time of Herberstain (the middle 

 of the sixteenth century) aurochs were living in Poland, and 

 were seen alive by him ; and, according to other testimony, 

 a herd of thirty was living in the Jaktorowka (or Wiskitki) 



