1865.] 



FALCONER — NILE AND GANGES, 



373 



depressed disk. The last molar is but partially worn, the two pairs 

 of trefoil comprising the crown-surface being distinct both in the 

 longitudinal and transverse directions. 



The molar teeth present the ordinary characters of the existing 

 Hippopotamus of the upper part of the valley of the Nile and 

 Senegal, but in size they equal those of the great extinct form of 

 Europe, Hippopotamus major of Cuvier. I have compared them 

 with the corresponding molars of the largest specimen of the living 

 species that has come under my observation, being the huge 

 male skull no. 3405 of the Hunterian collection, in the Museum of 

 the Eoyal College of Surgeons, and with a set of specimens of 

 H. major from the Yal d'Axno, presented by Mr. Pentland to the 

 British Museum. 



The following are the comparative dimensions : — 





nphihius. 

 . 3405, 

 . Col. 



major. 

 28790, 

 . Mus. 



.O 00 3 



m.ajor. 

 oalate, 

 . Mus. 





major. 

 28785, 

 . Mus. 







^^^ 



«oM 



tq^m 



3 ph 



^^A 



Joint length of the two last 



Ul. 



in. 



in. 



in. 



m. 



in. 



true molars 



4-0 



4-0 



4-3 



4-3 



4-3 



4-65 



Length of penultimate . . . 



1-95 



2-0 



2-3 



2-2 



2-25 



2-5 



Width of penultimate . . . 



2-0 



2-2 



2-1 



2-3 



2-2 



2-2 



Length of last molar .... 



2-1 



21 



2-1 



2-2 



2-2 



2-2 



Width of last molar .... 



2-1 



2-15 





2-3 



2-15 



2-25 



From these figures it will be seen that the molars in the Kalab- 

 shee specimen are as large as the majority of those of the extinct 

 form with which it was compared, and that of the latter there is 

 only one, no. 28785, in which the dimensions are greater, while 

 the Kalabshee specimen slightly exceeds the proportions yielded by 

 the existing Hippopotamus. It is at the same time to be remarked 

 that the latter is as large as no. 28790 of H. major; and 

 it has still to be shown that the bones of the skeleton of the 

 latter form surpass those of the living species more than do the 

 fossil bones of Bison prisons those of the existing Aurochs, which is 

 generally 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 cingidum is not well 

 preserved in the Nile fragment. 



The evidence yielded in the present case is too limited to warrant 

 any well-founded opinion regarding the species ; but, notwithstand- 

 ing 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. am- 

 phibius. It is inferred to have been yielded by a large and old 

 male. In mineral condition it appears to be as well fossilized as 



