114 



ON THE HORNS OF THE GIKAFFE. 



[Feb. 5, 



Bramathermm, and Hydaspitherium, is of a nature to assist in 

 establishing the existence of such a remarkable transformation. 



The assumption a — namely, that the transition was from frontal 

 outgrowths such as Bovidse and Oervidae present, to the segregation 

 and independence of the Giraffid ossicone — meets (it may be 

 pointed out) with an almost insuperable obstacle in the free median 

 frontal ossicone of the Giraffe, for which there is no forerunner 

 in the Bovi-Cervine scheme of solid continuous outgrowths of 

 the cranial wall. The consideration of the Lower Miocene Proto- 

 ceros with its four pairs of horns does not help us much in this 

 question, though its possession of a pair of parietal and of two 

 pairs of frontal upgrowths or ' bosses ' is significant. 



VarioiiiS Positions occupied hy the Paired Frontal Horns oj 

 Cavieorn and Cervine Buminaoits. 



An interesting fact in relation to the question of the identifi- 

 cation of Giraffe's parietal with Okapi's frontal ossicones is that 



--NASAL BONE. 



FRONTAL BONE.-, 



Antilocapra americana • 

 Oreotragus saltator. 



Ovis tragelaphus _ 

 Nemorrhedus goral. 



Cephalophus coronatus 



Anterior horns 

 of Tetraceros. 



Ovibos moschatus, 

 Cervus elaphus. 



Posterior horns 

 of Tetraceros. 



^Alcelaphus caama. 



PARIETAL BONE. 



Diagram to show the various positions on the frontal bone at which the bouj'^ horn- 

 cores of the Cavieorn and Cervine ruminants may take their growth. Though 

 ranging widely over the frontals these upgrowths are never found as part of the 

 parietal bones. 



