1896.] ON THE AKATOMT OF KHXNCH0P3. 299 



Dimensions of the teeth : — 



Length of upper m. 3 7*5 millim. 



„ m.2 12 „ 



m.l 11 „ 



„ „ pm. 1 8 „ 



„ „ pm. 2 6 „ 



„ ,, pm.3 5 „ 



„ „ pm. 4 (alveolus only) .... 4 „ 



Length of lower m. 3 10 „ 



„ „ m.2 11 „ 



H » m. 1 11 „ 



„ „ pni. 1 8 „ 



„ „ pm. 2 6 „ 



» )> pm.3 5 „ 



Length of upper molar series 31 „ 



„ lower „ „ 34 „ 



The very close resemblance between the Lower Pliocene and 

 recent species is both remarkable and disappointing, for it might 

 have been expected that in the former some generalized characters 

 would be found that would throw some light on the probable 

 ancestry of this most aberrant mammal ; this, however, it has been 

 seen, is not the case. 



As Dr. Forsyth Major has pointed out, the former distribution 

 of the genus seems to show that it is of northern origin and that 

 it spread into Africa along with the rest of the Pliocene Mammalia 

 witli which it has been found, and was not derived from any southern 

 land-area. Although at present it has been found only at Samos 

 and at Maragha in Western Persia, some twenty degrees farther 

 east, the accompanying mammalian fauna has a much wider range. 

 It has been met with at Concud in Spain, Mt. Leberon in Southern 

 France, Baltavar in Hungary, and Troy in Asia Minor ; it pro- 

 bably also ranged far to the east of Maragha, since Rhhioceros 

 blanfordi, a species occurring in that locality, is also recorded from 

 Baluchistan and from Southern China, where it is associated with 

 a Giraife. Although Orycieropus has not yet been discovered in 

 these localities, it will probably be found to have ranged far both to 

 the east and west of its limits as at present known. 



5. A Contribution to the Knowledge of the Anatomy of 

 Rhynchops. By Frank E. Beddard, M.A., P.E..S., 

 Prosector to the Society. 



[Received Febuary 4, 1896.] 



So far as I am aware the existing knowledge of Rhynchops is 



entirely derived from a paper by Brandt ' upon its osteology. I 



found, therefore, with great pleasure a specimen of this genus 



among the spirit-preserved birds sent home from Western Africa 



' M^ni. Acad. Sci. St. P^tersb. s^r. 6, Sci. Nat. iii. p. 218 (1840). 



