176 PEOCEEDINGS or THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [Eob. 20, 



1. 0?i i^A^ British PossiL OxEK. Part 11. Bos longieeojsts, Ot(;m. 

 By "W. Boyd Dawkins, Esq., M.A. (Oxon.), F.R.S., F.G.S. 



Contents. 



1. Introduction. 



2. Characters, 



3. Synonyms. 



4. Measurements. 



5. Eange in space and time. 



6. Relation to domestic races. 



7. Conclusion. 



1. Intkoduction. 



In the first part of this essay I have traced the gigantic Urus from 

 the earliest Pleistocene times through the Prehistoric period, at 

 least as far down as the 12th century after Christ. Now I propose to 

 pass on to the consideration of the small British Short-horn, the Bos 

 longifrons of Professor Owen, which, had it not been inserted among 

 the Pleistocene Mammals in the recognized text-book, would not 

 now be brought before the notice of the Geological Society. The 

 accurate definition of a species and its range in space and time is of 

 the highest importance. " Every form," says Dr. Ealconer, " weU 

 ascertained becomes a powerful exponent, while ill- determined it is 

 a fertile source of error." The truth of this is proved by the pre- 

 sent case. Professor Owen's verdict has been accepted in England 

 from the time of its publication in 1846 ; and Bos longifrons has 

 been considered universally as much a Pleistocene Mammal as the 

 Urus or Bison. Under these circumstances I feel bound to give my 

 reasons for believing that the evidence in support of this conclusion 

 is altogether insufiicient, and that the name ought therefore to be 

 struck out of all Pleistocene catalogues. 



2. Chaeactees. 



Bos longifrons, as compared with B. urus, is characterized by 

 Professor Owen by its small size, by the different curvature of its 

 small and short horns, by the smaller concavity, and often the flat- 

 ness, of the forehead, and by the greater extent of the frontals 

 beyond the orbits, before they join the nasal bones*. In addition 

 to these there are other points of difference and agreement, considered 

 by Dr. Riitimeyerf and Professor Mlsson J of specific value, which 

 have eluded my search on the comparison of a very large number of 

 specimens. The small size and the single upward curvature of the 

 horn-cores are the only two salient points that I can recognize, on 

 placing its remains side by side with the Urus and the larger do- 

 mestic Oxen ; and even these vanish on its comparison with the 

 smaller domestic breeds. A very large number of skulls from the 

 Irish turbaries, in the museum of the Boyal Dublin Society, show a 

 marked gradation in size and form, and constitute an unbroken 

 series, with the Bos frontosus § of Nilsson at one end, and the more 



* Brit. Foss. Mam. p. 508. 



t Fauna der Pfahlbauten der Sohweiz. 4to. Basel. 



X " On the extinct and existing Bovine Animals of Scandinavia," Annals and 

 Mag. Nat. Hist. 2nd ser. vol. iv.l849, p. 351. 

 § Op. cit. p. 349. 



