468 DR. J. MURIE ON SAIGA TARTARICA. [June 9, 
preemaxillee fall short of the nasals ; but in all these Antelopes, the 
latter bones abut to a considerable extent against the maxille. 
In the limited section of Caprine Antelopes of Gray, Ovine Ante- 
lopes of Turner, Capricornis, Nemorhedus and Budorcas, the nasals 
are but of moderate length, the premaxillaries do not reach them, 
and the maxillz barely coalesce nasally. In some Oxen, Budalus and 
Bibos to wit, and also in the aberrant Sheep Ovzbos, the premaxillary 
stunting is marked, but the relation of nasals to maxilla is quite 
different from the peculiar one in Saiga. 
The complementary changed relations of the facial bones of Saiga, 
and especially the increased height but antero-posterior shortening 
of the lachrymals, differ quite from the modern Ruminant skull, 
where, as a rule, the horizontal is greater than the upright breadth 
in the latter bone. Besides these major differences, the Saiga re- 
cedes from supposed alliance with Gazella and Cervicapra in absence 
of suborbital fissure—though, exceptionally, the Chiru agrees with it 
in wanting a fissure ; but it differs from each in the very slight im- 
press of suborbital fossze. 
Indeed, within certain limits, it may be said that the suborbital 
fossa of Saiga, though wider, has more the shallow roundish cha- 
racter of that of Sheep than Antelopes. The opposite of this remark 
applies to the masseteric ridge, as the higher position of the Anti- 
lopine orbit gives increased length of ridge, as in the Saiga. 
Goats, with their elongate fissure, and Deer, with a most extensive 
wide one, and very deep lachrymal fossa, are remote in facial con- 
struction from the type in question. 
The group which Dr. Gray designates ‘‘ Antelopes of the field,” 
including Antilope, Gazella, Tetracerus, Cephalophus, and other 
genera, and the same author's ‘‘ Antelopes of the Desert,”’ Alcephalus 
&c., have all large, more or less inflated tympanic bulle. Itis to the 
former of these groups that the Saiga has been assigned ; and the de- 
velopment of its ossa tympani in a fair degree shows derivation from it, 
or unity of stock. In the Society’s specimen the bull are rather 
more inflated than in the skull at the Hunterian Museum ; and both 
are fuller and not quite so laterally compressed as in the so-called 
Cervine Antelopes, 4igocerus, &c. The Caprine Antelopes are still 
further removed, judged of by this single character ; for in them 
the tympanics are moderate and compressed. 
The triangular, horizontally elongated and ridged tympanic bones 
of the Goats and the Deer even more markedly deviate. 
In Sheep, as Turner observes, there is a small auditory bulla; but 
I find in Ovis vignet that the bulla is not only of moderate, but 
indeed of fair size, and quite equal in relative magnitude to that of 
the Saiga, its shape rather more elongated, but not unlike the 
latter. 
The centre point of the skull, the basioccipital bone, forms a 
good diagnostic mark between the Antelope groups, especially when 
taken in conjunction with the tympanic elements and disposition of 
the facial bones. Usually the basiocciput is longish and narrow, 
high, convex, and mesially grooved antero-posteriorly. Continuous 
