182 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS [voL. 48 
frons the female of one species, it is inconceivable that any modern 
taxonomist would reach such a conclusion after comparing the 
original types. These are now before me and with them are speci- 
mens of S. tyrrelli and of both sexes and young of Ovibos moschatus. 
From comparisons of these it is evident that, unless the disparity be- 
tween the sexes in this case was vastly greater than in the recent 
genus Ovibos, cavifrons and bombifrons do not respectively repre- 
sent the male and female of one species. Neither is bombifrons the 
young of any species, for the type gives every evidence of maturity." 
The horn cores of the female Ovibos are essentially of the same 
character as those of the male. They are excessively flattened and 
directed downward close to the skull just as those of the male. Their 
bases approach each other over the top of the frontals increasing 
with age as in the male, the space between them being merely rela- 
tively greater than in the male.? They are attached to the frontals 
only it is true, but this is the case with the immature male. There- 
fore the skull of the female has all the essential characters of the 
male but they are not as highly developed. The skull of Bodtherium 
bombifrons, on the contrary, differs not in degree but in actuality 
from that of Scaphoceros cavifrons and S. tyrrelli. The horn cores 
are not flattened but are actually round or as nearly round as may 
be in a rough surfaced structure; they are directed away from the 
skull at a different angle; their attachment to the skull is entirely 
different; their bases do not approach each other in the least but 
on the contrary stand out from the skull on pedicels and have a dis- 
tinct burr as in Bison. The frontal region between the horn pedicels 
is not flattened as in the female Ovibos, but is elevated and convex. 
The under side of the skull of the type of bombifrons is much injured 
but one conspicuous character is shown in which it differs from 
all the other species. This is found in the basisphenoid which is not 
deflected but has its lower surface in the same horizontal plane as 
that of the basioccipital and it has a sharp median ridge. The horn 
cores of bombifrons are essentially like those of Bison except that 
they turn downward instead of upward. However, other characters, 
notably the possession of deep lacrymal fossze, serve to distinguish 
it from Bison. In consideration of these various characters, the 
genus Bodtherium with Bos bombifrons as the type seems to merit 
‘This was pointed out by Leidy, who says, “the interfrontal, fronto- 
parietal, and occipito-parietal sutures are completely obliterated” (Jour. 
Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 2d ser., vil, p. 374, 1869). 
? This is well shown by Richardson’s' figure, often cited—Zool. Voy. Her- 
ald, pl. tv, fig. 1, 1854. 
