A. IT. Foord and G. 0. Crick — On Temnocheiius coronatus. 295 



Looking at the skeleton, as here shown, it is evident that the 

 most striking features are the large and peculiar skull, and the 

 elongate and slender limbs and feet — characters that do not in them- 

 selves suggest the suilline affinities of the animal, which a closer 

 study brings to light. The most notable points in the skull, as here 

 indicated, are the long, pendent process of the malar bone, charac- 

 teristic of some of the sloths, and the strong projections on the 

 lower jaw. The latter supplement the malar process, but are de- 

 veloped to a greater degree than in any other mammals. Another 

 feature of the skull to which the writer has already called attention 

 is the very small brain-case, which proves that the brain itself was 

 very diminutive. This was also true of the other known species, and 

 was probably the main reason which led to the early extinction of 

 the whole group. 



The slender, highly specialized limbs and feet are likewise par- 

 ticularly noticeable in the restoration. They indicate clearly that the 

 animal was capable of considerable speed, and this must have been 

 of great service as a protection from its enemies. It will be seen 

 that in each foot there are only two functional digits, corresponding 

 to the third and fourth in man. The first digit is entirely wanting, 

 and only remnants remain of the second and fifth. 



Such reduction was, of course, a gradual process, extending over 

 long geological periods. It indicates clearly a change of environ- 

 ment from the swampy home of the primitive five-toed suilline to 

 the elevated, firm upland of later times, over which the present 

 species and its near allies doubtless roamed. A parallel instance, 

 still more striking, is seen in the gradual change which took place 

 in the equine mammals, as first shown by the writer more than 

 twenty years ago.' 



The Elotlieridce were evidently true suillines, but formed a collateral 

 branch that became extinct in the Miocene. They doubtless branched 

 ofi^ in early Eocene time from the main line, which still survives 

 in the existing; swine of the old and new worlds. 



III. — On Temnocheilus coronatus, M'Coy, from the Carboni- 

 ferous Limestone of Stebden Hill, near Cracoe, Yorkshire. 

 By Arthur H. Foord, F.G.S., of the Eoyal Dublin Society, Dublin; and 

 G. C. Crick, Assoc. E.S.M., F.G.S., of the British Museum (Natural History). 



THE specimens which form the subject of this paper were 

 obtained by Mr, E. J. Garwood from the Carboniferous 

 Limestone of Stebden Hill, near Ci'acoe, Yorkshire ; and the writers 

 are indebted to the kindness of Mr. Garwood for permission to 

 describe them. Eespecting the horizon and locality from which the 

 species came, Mr. Garwood says, in a letter to one of the writers : 

 " Stebden is a hill which Tiddeman [of the Geological Survey] 

 describes as one of his knoll reefs, and is, in my opinion, the 

 equivalent of the Upper Scar limestone on the south side of the 

 Cracoe fault, where it is much more fossiliferous than on the north 



1 American Journal of Science, vol. vii. p. 257, March, 1874. 



