634 



ANCIEXT FLUVIATILE DEPOSITS 



tlie extinct form with which it was compared, and that of 

 the latter there is only one, No. 28,785, in which the dimen- 

 sions are greater, while the Kalabshee specimen slightly 

 exceeds the proportions yielded by the existing Hippopo- 

 tamus. It is at the same time to be remarked that the latter 

 is as large as No. 28,790 of H. major; and it has still to be 

 shown that the bones of the skeleton of the latter form sur- 

 pass those of the living species more than do the fossil bones 

 of Bison priscus those of the existing Aurochs, which is gene- 

 rally regarded as being of the same species. 



In H. major, the basal cingulum of the molar is commonly 

 more salient and crenately lobed than in those of the living 

 species. The Kalabshee specimen in this respect agrees with 

 the latter form ; but it is at the same time to be observed that 

 the cingulum is not well preserved in the Nile fragment. 



The evidence yielded in the present case is too limited to 

 warrant any well-founded opinion regardiug the species ; 

 but, notwithstanding the large dimensions of the molars, I 

 have failed to detect any diagnostic characters which would 

 justify the separation of the Kalabshee specimen from the 

 Senegal variety of the living H. amphibius. It is inferred to 

 have been yielded by a large and old male. In mineral con- 

 dition it appears to be as well fossilized as specimens of H. 

 major from the Val d'Arno and Auvergne. The cancelli of 

 the bone are filled throughout with matrix resembling Nile 

 mud ; the ivory of the molars has lost a large portion of its 

 gelatine. Professor Busk, who has analyzed the specimen, 

 found that the earthy salts of the bone yielded a very large 

 proportion of carbonates ; but he failed to detect more than 

 a very faint trace of fluorine, so commonly met with in bones 

 of great antiquity. 1 A calcareous crust covers the enamel of 

 the teeth. Dr. Leith Adams does not indicate, in his paper, 

 the precise stratum near Kalabshee out of which the frag- 

 ment was exhumed, this being a point of much importance 

 in the case. 



Geologists may be remhided that, although rarely observed, 

 this is not the first instance in which fossil or sub-fossil re- 

 mains of Hippopotamus have been procured from the Valley 

 of the Nile. Dr. Riippell brought to Europe, in 1827, the 

 remains of a species of Hippopotamus from above the Cata- 

 racts. They were deposited in the Senckenberg Museum at 

 Frankfort, and indicated a species in size between H. am- 

 phibius and the existing small H. Liberiensis of St. Paul's 



1 The following gives Professor Busk's 

 analysis : — 



Organic matter . . . 7'5 



Earthy carbonates . . 57'5 



Phosphates, &c. . . . 35'0 

 Iron . . . . .a trace. 



Fluorine . scarcely an indication. 



