468 PROCEEDINGS OP THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [June 19, 



that Hippopotamus major bred in this country, and was not a mere 

 summer visitant, as some have formerly supposed. 



The extraordinary difference, in proportions and also in form, 

 between the two metatarsals above noticed is well worthy of remark ; 

 for it is so great that, under other circumstances, it might fairly 

 have been assumed that they belonged to distinct species. 



The comparative slenderness of the younger bone (fig. 2, PI. XXIX.), 

 which in that respect stands to the other as 730 to 927, at once 

 strikes the eye, whilst in the form of the shaft also they differ very 

 considerably. In the older bone the anterior and posterior surfaces 

 are hollowed or concave from side to side, particularly the latter, 

 the hollow being bounded on either side by a prominent ridge ; 

 whilst in the younger bone both surfaces are convex, and there is, 

 on the posterior surface only, a very faint ridge on the tibial border. 

 The facet, however, by which the fourth metatarsal articulates with 

 the third is of the same form and shape in each. There is no ap- 

 pearance of a bursal (?) facet on the extremity of the hinder apophysis, 

 such as may be seen in most metatarsals of the recent HippopotamiLS. 

 Comparison of the figures will serve to show at once the extraor- 

 dinary difference between these two metacarpals, and to indicate also 

 how closely the younger of the two approaches the proportions of 

 the same bone in Hipp, ampliihius *. 



It is not easy to assign the age of the individual to whom the frontal 

 bone belonged ; from its size, however, and porous structure, it would 

 seem impossible that it could have formed part of the skeleton of the 

 same individual as that which afforded the detached tibial epiphysis 

 and probably also the slenderer metatarsal bone, and which must 

 have nearly reached its full stature, the epiphysis in question mea- 

 suring very nearly 5 inches in the antero- posterior direction, or 

 from the point of the tuberosity to the hinder border of the inner 

 condyloid facet. 



4. Bos. — The bovine remains are very numerous, most of them of 

 very large size, and obviously of great antiquity. In all probability 

 they belong to Bos primigenius ; but as they vary somewhat in di- 

 mensions and character, some may perhaps be referred to Bison 

 priscus. 



6. Gervus. — The next most numerous remains are : — a. Those of 

 a very large species of Cervus, apparently equal in size to C. cana- 

 densis, and with the brow-antler arising immediately above the burr, 

 or even from it, and turning downwards, as in the Clacton speci- 

 mens, to which form I should be inclined to refer the larger cervine 

 remains and antlers (C. clactoniensis, Falc, 0. Broivni, 13. Dawk.). 

 h. A few relics, however, of a smaller deer, no doubt G. elaphus, 

 also occur, amongst which are a perfect astragalus and a nearly per- 

 fect calcaneum of opposite feet, whence, perhaps, it may be surmised 



* In the skeleton of Hipp, amphibius in the Museum of the Royal College of 

 Surgeons, the articular surfaces between the third and fourth metatarsals is pro- 

 longed along the whole length of the hinder apophysis. But in other instances 

 this condition was not found to exist, nor have I met with it in any case of 

 fossil hippopotamus. 



