MAMMALS OF MINNESOTA. 



259 



The forehead in the bison is actually and relatively wider 

 than in the ox, the horns also are set farther forward while 

 the plane of the occiput is semicircular forming an obtuse 

 instead of acute angle with the forehead. The intermaxillar- 

 ies are triangular and shorter than the nasals. The spines of 

 the dorsal vertebrae are elongated, the limb bones are less mas- 

 sive than in Bos and the cannon bone of the hind limb is rela- 

 tively longer. 



Fig. 19. Bison europeus. 



While a great deal has been written upon the genealogy of 

 the bison the diversity of opinion is very striking. Ruetimeyer, 

 Brandt, Lilljeborg, Vogt, Allen, Leidy and Schmidt have all 

 given attention to the subject without placing it beyond dis- 

 pute. It would seem most probable that the earliest bison 

 properly so-called was the gigantic B. latifrons which may have 

 had a circumpolar distribution. Since this species is found in 

 America only thus far it may be that America is the true place 



