1837.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 499 



of sand to the clay to-morrow, when by a cessation of the influx of sand the opera- 

 tion will proceed with much more rapidity." 



The appearance of the clay Is precisely that of the black peat-clay found at the 

 depth of J 4 to 20 feet below the surface, and it must be the debris of a similar 

 Sundarban tract formed anterior to the deposit of the 3S0 feet of superincumbent 

 sand anil clays. The wood is highly charred, but by no means converted into coal. 



Col. Macleod also presented a specimen of a two-headed snake caught 

 alive at Moorshedabud. 



Mr. W. T. Baxter, Branch-pilot, presented a specimen in spirits of 

 the sea-horse taken off Point Pulmiras. 



Major Davidson, Engrs., described a species of flying serpent which he 

 believed to be unknown to naturalists. 



B. H. Hodgson, Esq. gave the following description of the Gauri Gau of 

 the Nipal forest. 



" With infinite trouble and expense I have at length procured complete spoils 

 of both sexes of the Gauri Gau. The ribs are but 13 pair: the skulls of both male 

 and female are alike distinguished by enormous size, and by a broad, and long, and 

 flat forehead surmounted by a prodigious semicylindric crest. It is the spinous 

 processes of the dorsal vertibrae only, that cause the extra ordinary elevation of the 

 fore-quarters, those of the cervical not being raised at all. The elevation extends 

 longitudinally from the first to the last pair of ribs, rising and falling suddenly, but 

 with the rise more abrupt than the fall. The extreme elevatiou is 14 inches above 

 the spinal column, and is reached by the third process from the anterior extremity. 

 Here, then is a singular animal; Bos as to the number of the ribs and as to the 

 general form of the cranium, but surely distinguished sufficiently from Bos, as a 

 separate subgeneric type, by the far greater size of the skull, the astonishing deve- 

 lopment of its frontal crest, and the no less remarkable development of the spinous 

 proce?ses of the dorsal vertebrae, which last osteological peculiarity gives the live 

 animal the appearance of a camel or camel-leopard if the head be concealed. 



" I call this type Bibos, a name that is equally good if it be supposed to indicate 

 an ox of unusual magnitude (quasi Bis and Bos) or an animal osculant between 

 Bison and Bos (quasi Bi — Bos). You remember my delineations of the skull com- 

 paratively with those of the tame aud wild baffalo and tame ox. No one could look 

 at them and suppose this animal a Bison, if the correctness of Cuvier's view were 

 admitted : and, for my part, I have always regarded the Gauri Gau as a separate 

 link between Bos and Bison. But it is only within the last week that, by procuring 

 complete skeletons of both sexes, I have satisfied myself of the fact. I have not the 

 least doubt that the Urus of the ancients (known to us only by fossil crania) was a 

 Bibos, that is, an animal of the same type as our living Indian wild bull of the 

 saul forest, and of other wilds. Whether my animal be the Gamus or the Gavoaeus 

 of books, no soul can tell ; for the sufficing reason that there is no adequate or ad- 

 missible account of either of the latter in books. Some call these creatures bulls ; 

 others call them Bisons : — what they really be, we know not ; and therefore I shall 

 give my type a separate specific name or Subhemachalus. 



" The Guuri Gau, then, of the saul forest is Bibos Subhemachalus, nob., and type of 

 the new subgenus Bibos. The Society shall have a very full and particular account 

 of it presently ; meanwhile the osteological peculiarities already spoken of, stamp 

 our animal with a very striking character of novelty, whilst they give a singular 

 revived interest to whatever the classics have left us about their Urus. 



11 The hair is as close and glossy as in Bos, only somewhat elongated cind curled 

 on the forehead and knees : the colors are usually red or black or piebald, the tail 

 does not reach to the hock, in other words, is very short ; all structural peculiarities 

 fall into the subgeneric character : the specific character may be given in two words. 



" Large wild Indian Bibos with close glossy hair, of a red or black color, ten feet 

 from snout to rump, and five and a half feet high at the shoulder, Gauri Gau of 

 Hindus." 



Dr. Spilsbury presented part of the fossil jaw of a horse, from Brimham 

 Ghat, discovered by Mr. Smith. 



Also fossil shells of reversed whorls silicified, from Sao Kharn Ghat, 

 ten kos west of Baitool, similar exactly to those noticed by Dr. Voysey in 

 the Gawi/giri trap. 



