884 



SIR V. BROOKE ON Tllfi 



[Nov. 19, 



need not at present occupy ourselves ; in Professor Flower's paper, 

 above referred to, the characters in which they differ from the 

 typical Cervidse, of which Professor Flower regards them as early 

 offshoots, are distinctly defined. 



Cervidee. Bovidce. 



(1) Osseous deciduous out- 

 growths from cylindrical pro- 

 cesses of the frontals in the males 

 of all excepting Hydropotes, in 

 which genus they are wanting 

 in both sexes. These appen- 

 dages, the antlers, are absent in 

 the females excepting Rangi/er. 



(2) Two orifices to the lacry- 

 mal duct, situated on or inside the 

 rim of the orbit. 



(3) A depression in the facial 

 plate of the lacrymal, called the 

 lacrymal pit or fossa. 



(4) An anteorbital vacuity of 

 such dimensions as to exclude the 

 lacrymal from articulation with 

 the nasals. 



(5) In all species the first 

 molar in both jaws is brachy- 

 odont, or short-crowned, so that 

 when the tooth is in place the 

 neck, which is much constricted, 

 is on a level with or a little above 

 the alveolar border, and in the dry 

 skull the upper ends of the roots 

 are visible. 



(6) Upper canines present in 

 both sexes. Exceptions : — Ca- 

 preolus, Axis, Dama, Cariacus, 

 Blastocerus, Pudu, Alces, and 

 some of the smaller Rusine Deer. 



(7) Distal ends of the lateral 

 metacarpals present in some. 



(8) The first and second 



(1) Epidermal persistent (exc. 

 Antilocapra) sheaths envelop 

 processes of the frontals in both 

 sexes, with the exception of the 

 females of the following genera, 

 in which these appendages, the 

 horns, are wanting : — Portax, 

 Tragelaphus, Procapra, Anti- 

 lope, JEpyceros, Saiga, Kobus, 

 Cervicapra, Pelea, Nanotragus, 

 Neotragus, Tetraceros. 



(2) One orifice to the lacry- 

 mal duct, situated inside the rim 

 of the orbit. Exceptions: — Tra- 

 gelaphus sylvaticus, Tragela- 

 phus decula, Tragelaphus an- 

 gasi, Tragelaphus S2>ekii ; in 

 these species there are two ori- 

 fices, situated as in the Cervidse. 



(3) Absence of this depression. 

 Exceptions : — Gazella, Atitilope, 

 Nanotragus, Neotragus, Cepha- 

 lophus, Tetraceros, Alcelaphus. 



(4) Lacrymal articulates with 

 the nasals, except in Gazella and 

 Oryx. 



(5) The first molar in both 

 jaws is hypsodont, or long- 

 crowned, so that a large part of 

 the crown is buried in the socket 

 when the tooth is first in place, 

 and there is no constriction 

 between the long crown and the 

 very short roots. Exception, 

 Tragelaphus. 



(6) Canines absent in both 

 sexes. Exception, Nanotragus 

 pygmceus has sometimes the 

 upper milk-canine. 



(7) Distal ends of the lateral 

 metacarpals wanting in all genera. 



(8) The first and second pha- 



