392 



PETKIFACTIONS AND THEIR TEACHINGS. CHAP. IV. 



descendants of a smaller primitive wild species of Bos, charac- 

 terized by its long frontlet and short horns ; of which there 

 are part of a skull and horn-cores, and some detached bones 

 in the Museum. 



Bos LONGIFEONS (Owen). Wall-case F. The horns and 

 skull of this species of Ox appear to have been first described 

 from specimens found in the bogs of Ireland. 1 Similar 



remains have been obtained from 

 the alluvial deposits of the val- 

 ley of the Thames. In 1822, 

 I received from G. B. Green- 

 ough, Esq. a horn of this species 

 from Walton, in Essex, together 

 with fragments of the antlers of 

 the Irish-Elk, and horns of the 

 great Auroeh, which were found 

 with it. 



nm Ipnorfh from thp <annrn 



occipital ridge to the nasal bones 

 is 8 inches ; the breadth of the 

 forehead 6J inches ; span of the horn-cores from tip to tip 

 1 foot ; length of the horn-core 4 inches. 3 



But independently of this disparity in size, the Bos longi- 

 frons differs from the great Bos primigenius, by the smallness, 

 shortness, and different form of the horns. 



That the Bos longifrons was abundant in England during 

 the Roman period, is proved by the occurrence of skulls and 

 horns, and other parts of the skeleton, in several localities 

 associated with remains of Roman art ; as at Colchester, in 

 1849. 4 



I will conclude this notice with the following remarks of 

 the Hunterian Professor on the question as to the species of 

 Bos, from which the domestic breed has probably originated. 



" In this field of conjecture, the most probable one will be 



LIGN. 79. SKULL AND HORN-CORES OF 

 Bos LONGIFRONS. Front view. 3 



(Oj nat tize j 



1 Oper. cit. p. 511. 



2 From Professor Owen's figure of a specimen from Ireland. " Brit. 

 Foss. Mamm." p. 508. 



3 I have a specimen of a horn-core attached to a portion of the frontlet, 

 which is 5J inches long. It was dredged up off the Essex coast with 

 teeth of Elephants, and presented to me by Lord Londesborough. 



4 See " Archaeological Journal." 



