38 LIFE OF SIR JOHN LUBBOCK c„ 



were fortunate enough to find a great part of 

 the skull of a Musk Ox. This species is now 

 confined to Greenland and Arctic America. No 

 fossil remains of it had up to that time been 

 found in Britain, or indeed in Europe ; and the 

 special interest was the additional evidence of 

 the Glacial period which was afforded by this 

 discovery of an Arctic Quadruped. The Mam- 

 moth and Woolly-haired Rhinoceros had indeed 

 been met with, but their presence did not neces- 

 sarily imply Arctic conditions. Since then the 

 Reindeer, Glutton, and several other Arctic 

 species have been determined. Another frag- 

 ment of the Musk Ox was shortly afterwards 

 found in the Valley of the Avon, and Lubbock 

 himself met with a third at Green Street Green 

 in Kent. The Taplow specimen was described 

 in the Geological Journal, and is referred to in 

 the following letter from Sir J. Prestwich : 



Mark Lane, 10/7/55. 



My dear Sir — I am rejoiced to hear of the discovery 

 of the Musk Ox in the Maidenhead gravel. There are 

 several other large pits in the valley gravel which may be 

 worth examining. Could you also enquire whether any 

 bones were found in the gravel cutting of the Wycombe 

 railway at the hill (Folly Hill) adjoining Maidenhead. 

 I enquired but was not quite satisfied with the answer 

 I obtained, altho' it was in the negative and agreed 

 with my general views on the subject. 



On Saturday last, instead of going to Staines, I went 

 to Brentwood and Ongar. I shall most probably there- 

 fore go to Staines on Saturday next, and in that case 

 shall require the map which I herewith send. If you let 

 me have it on Friday evening or Saturday morning 

 before 12, it will do. 



Sir C. Lyell and I went to Grays last week, but shall 

 have to return there or to Ilford or Erith probably on 



