'200 FAUNA ANTIQUA SIVALENSIS. 



vertebral arteries twice as long as they are in the recent 

 bone. In the fossil the orifices {a, a ) of these canals divide 

 the length of the vertebra into three nearly equal portions ; 

 whereas in the recent bone the orifices are both included 

 within its anterior half. 



The anterior oblique processes (/, /) have the same general 

 form and direction both in the fossil and recent species ; 

 but in the former they are considerably stouter and larger, 

 and their mterspace is less. The articular surfaces are 

 convex, and are defined exactly as m the recent species. 



The posterior oblique processes {g, g) of the fossil differ in 

 form very little from those of the recent bone ; in the fossil, 

 however, the articular surfaces are considerably larger ; and 

 the ridges in which they are continued along the side of the 

 upper vertebral arch are much less convergent than in the 

 recent bone ; so that in the latter this part is somewhat 

 heart-shaped ; whereas in the fossil it is nearly oblong, and 

 ' looks squarer,' so to speak. 



The spinous process {h) in the fossil is the same thin 

 triangiilar lamina that is seen in the recent species ; and it 

 differs only in having its most prominent point lower down 

 on the arch. 



The spinal canal is very much of the same form and 

 dimensions in both the fossil and the recent vertebra. At 

 this point some of the matrix remains attached to the fossil 

 bone, and prevents any very precise measur-ement. 



As a minor point of agreement between the fossil and 

 recent bones, it may be noted that, in both, the foramen (k) 

 for the small nutritious artery on the inferior side of the 

 body of the vertebra is on the right. In the other cervical 

 vertebrae of the recent skeleton this solitary foramen is on 

 the left. 



From the above comparisons it appears that the fossil 

 vertebra, while it is very distinct from that of a camel, fulfils 

 all the conditions required for a strict identification with 

 that of a girafie ; that its peculiarities are not of greater 

 than specific importance ; and consequently do not warrant 

 its being referred to a distinct and unknown type among the 

 ruminants. 



The following are the dimensions, in detail, of the third 

 vertebra in the adult Sewalik fossil and in the immature 

 Nubian giraffe, 10^ feet high, in the Museum of the Zoolo- 

 gical Society : — 



