56 



EINAR LÖNNBERG, STUDIES ON RUMINANTS. 



simple type exhibited by the gnu caii more easily be compared with that of the common 

 cow although the latter represeiits a further developed stage. It is of greater length and 

 the folds and processes are more developed than in the gnu. There may, however, be 

 distinguished two larger folds which can be compared with the two valves which have 

 been described in the gnu. These folds are also sometimes said to »kreisförmig öder mehr 

 Zweilippig» surround cervix uteri (Gurlt 1. c.). The interiör portion of the vagina in 

 the common cow has a much thicker wall than that of the gnu and is also provided 

 with a number of transverse folds which are not seen in the latter. 



The exteriör of the feminine organs of the gnu is sparsely beset with fine hairs, 

 but there are no long hairs at the lower angle as in the common cow nor is this lower 



angle so protruding in the former as in the latter. 

 The kidne3's of the gnu are beanshaped not 

 divided into lobules. Their dimensions are in the 

 specimen at hand as follows: length about 8 cm., 

 breadth at hilus about 4 cm. and thickness 3 — 3V2 

 cm. When the kidney is cut into two halves it be- 

 comes evident that there is only one longitudinal 

 mamilla. The cones are so completely fused together 

 in forming this mamilla so that they cannot be traced 

 at all, even basally. The structure of tlie kidney is 

 thus more simple than in Ovibos and in the sheep, 

 in ^vhich the cones are basally distinct. The difiference 

 from the lobulated kidneys of the common ox is still 

 more striking. In Saiga there are according to Murie 

 (1. c. p. 486) »some half dozen undefined pyramids». 

 The suprarenal bodies sit near the anterlor end 

 of the kidneys. They are flat and oval, 3 cm. in 

 length, 1^/2 cm. in breadth and 6 mm. in thickness. 

 Concerning the number of teats in the gnu there are different statements by various 

 authors. Sclater and Thomas in »the Book of Antelopes» (1. c. p. 93) write in the 

 diagnosis of the genus Connochcetes : »mammas four». This seems also to be the usual 

 opinion nowadays^). But in his book entitled »Die Säugethiere»") Giebel stated that the 

 genus i>Catohle'pasT> has »zwci Zitsen» (1. c. p. 299). The number might thus perhaps be 

 variable, but the specimen at hand has only two teats (conf. the text-figure). They sit 

 rather close together and measure about 2 cm. in length and 1 V2 cm. in thickness. They 

 are sparsely beset with hairs to the tips, and have a rather large aperture. The number 

 of teats is thus also different to the same of Ovibos, but agrees with that of the, to the 

 gnu allied, genus Bubalis. 



From the above description it becomes evident that the gnu and the muskox are 

 different nearly in every detail of the soft anatomy. The only points of likeness are of 



Teats of Gnu. 



') The same statement is found in Flowek and Ltdekker's -»Manual^). 

 2) Leipzig 1855. 



