III. EXTINCT SPECIES OP AMERICAN OX. 7 



was quite justifiable in proposing for the animal to which the fragment under 

 consideration belonged, the name of Bos latifrons. 1 



In the American Journal of Science for 1846, 2 Dr. W. M. Carpenter described a 

 portion of a fossil ox skull, and a molar tooth of an old individual, found on the 

 banks of the Brasos Kiver, near San Felipe, Texas, which appear to belong to the 

 same species as that just indicated. 



A second species of extinct ox was established, by Dr. Wistar, in the year 1814, 

 upon part of a skull with both horn-cores nearly entire, found at Big-bone Lick. 3 

 This specimen, and many other remains of mammalia, were obtained through the 

 exertions of Thomas Jefferson, in his zeal for the advancement of science, and 

 presented by him to the American Philosophical Society, which subsequently 

 deposited them in the museum of the Academy of Natural Sciences, that they 

 might be accessible to the inspection of all persons visiting Philadelphia. 



To the species indicated by Wistar, Dr. Harlan afterwards gave the name of Bos 

 Itombifrons* 



Mr. William Cooper, in a communication entitled "Notices of Big-bone Lick," 5 

 observes, that he found a second head of this species among a collection of bones 

 discovered by Mr. Finnell at Big-bone Lick, much in the same state as that figured 

 by Dr. Wistar. 



A third extinct species of ox found in North America was first indicated by Dr. 

 De Kay, from a fragment of a skull with portions of both horn-cores attached, 

 which was ejected by the shock of an earthquake in 1812, at New Madrid, on the 

 banks of the Mississippi, and was presented to the Lyceum of Natural History of 

 New York by Dr. S. L. Mitchell. 6 



Under the impression that the specimen belonged to the same species of ox as 

 two crania described by Pallas, 7 and a third by Ozeretskovsky, 8 for which no name 

 had been proposed, Dr. De Kay designated this as the Bos fhllasii, and provision- 

 ally referred his specimen to the same species ; 9 which is, however, without doubt, 

 incorrect, as will be seen hereafter. 



Mr. Cooper states that, during his stay at Big-bone Lick in 1828, a mutilated skull 

 of this species was found at that place and brought to him, and is now deposited 

 in the collection of the Lyceum of Natural History. He also adds he saw another 

 specimen of the same species from Ohio. 10 



1 Fauna Americana, p. 273. 3 N. S. vol. i. p. 245. 



3 Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc. n. s. vol. i. p. 381. 4 Fauna Americana, p. 271. 



s Am. Month. Journ. of G-eol. vol. i. p. 173. An. Lye. Nat. Hist. vol. ii. p. 280. 



7 Nov. Comment. Pctrop. vol. xvii. p. 606. 8 M6m. Acad. de St. Petersb. vol. iii. p. 215. 



An. Lye. Nat. Hist. vol. ii. p. 291. w Am. Month. Journ. of Geol. vol. i. pp. 173, 174. 



