176 Reviews — R. LydeJcker's Catalogue, Fossil Mammalia. 



The Selenodont (crescent-shaped) type of dentition is closely asso- 

 ciated with the Ruminants and evidently has a direct relation with 

 the cud-chewing habit of the Artiodactyle ; whilst the Bunodont (or 

 hill-toothed type) are well exemplified in the molar teeth of both 

 the pig and river-horse, a pattern of tooth not met with out of this 

 division save in certain Mastodons and in the teeth of Halitherium. 



With regard to a large number of extinct forms, their true affini- 

 ties are of course somewhat conjectural ; nevertheless we may pretty 

 safely infer that they were very near to, if not actually to be classed 

 with the Euminants proper (where the teeth are known). Mr. 

 Lydekker commences his catalogue with the Bovidce, under which 

 section are included the Oxen, Bisons, Sheep, Goats, Antelopes and 

 Giraffes. Following Boyd Dawkins and other authors, Mr. Lydekker 

 sinks the great Bos primigenius into a mere gigantic ancestor of Bos 

 taurus, and he does the same with the little Bos longifrons. 



The other bovine species which remain are all foreign and Indian 

 forms. The Bison retains its distinctness, and the Buffalo with its 

 various Indian species. Then follows the Musk-sheep, which appears 

 to have two extinct Pleistocene relatives in North America (probably 

 only local varieties), about which little is known. 



Succeeding these are the Sheep, Goats, Gazelles, Antelopes, com- 

 pleting the hollow-horned ruminants. Next after these are placed 

 the Giraffidas, with which are included the extinct genera Sivatherium, 

 Bramatherium, Eelladotlierium ; this last was formerly considered 

 as the hornless female of Sivatherium, but it is now established as a 

 distinct genus by Gaudry and Lartet, and also by Riitimeyer. Re- 

 mains of the true Giraffe are also found fossil in India and elsewhere. 



The solid-horned Deer-tribe follow next in order, with rugged 

 branching antlers of true bone without a horny sheath, but covered 

 during their growth with vascular integument coated with short 

 hair. When their growth is finished, the supply of blood is cut off, 

 the skin dies and peels off, leaving the bone bare and insensible, and 

 after a time, by a process of absorption near the base, it becomes 

 detached from the skull and is " shed," an event which occurs 

 annually. After a time a new pair of horns are developed from the 

 peduncles or base of the original pair. The collection affords ex- 

 amples of 38 species of Cervidoe, — including the Boebuck, Elk, Rein- 

 deer, Gigantic Irish-deer, Fallow-deer, Red-deer, and a long series 

 of extinct species, among which Cervus tetraceros from the Pliocene 

 of France, and the Cervus giganteus from Ireland, are the most in- 

 teresting and uncommon forms of simple straight-tined, and broadly 

 palmate types. 



The Camels offer no interest to the palaeontologist, as they appear 

 to have undergone scarcely any modification from existing species ; 

 but many of the ten extinct families which follow date back to the 

 Eocene, such as the Anoplotheriidce, the Anthracotheriidca, the Cozno- 

 theriidce, etc. 



If we except the Anoplotherium, the Borcatherium and some few 

 others, the greater number of these species are founded merely on 

 teeth, jaws, etc., and but seldom upon associated skeleton remains ; 



