RUMINANTIA. 279 



bladder in one specimen, and the total absence of 

 that organ in two others. We find, also, in the 

 skulls of some males, a central plate of bone be- 

 tween the two frontals, elevated into a boss, like 

 the peduncle of a horn, showing that a bony horn 

 in the forehead of a ruminant is not excluded pos- 

 sibility in the plan of nature. Whether the Mery- 

 cotkerium Sibiricum, a large ruminant found in a 

 fossil state by Bojanus, really belongs to this tribe, 

 is, we believe, still doubtful. For the 



CAPRID^E, 



We still refer to Volumes XVIII. and XIX. of the 

 Mammalia of this Work, and maintain in addition, 

 that excepting the tabular view of the inguinal 

 pores and maxillary sinuses of Professor Owen, in 

 themselves not sufficient for a systematic classifica- 

 tion, and the additions of interdigital pores, not 

 more important than other trivial characters before 

 adduced, no sensible progress has been made for a 

 more natural distribution of the groups and genera, 

 particularly of Antilopine series, than before shown 

 in Volume XVIII. ; nor do we think it likely any 

 other can be adopted, but that which applies the 

 same elements, notwithstanding their unimportance 

 to grouping the species, according as the aggregate 

 of their characters will best indicate analogies and 

 juxtaposition. We have the 



