21 



UNGULATA. 



(Ungulata vera.) 



ARTIODACTYLA. 



Genus BISON, Hamilton Smith. 



Bovine remains, which are so common in Pleistocene deposits, 

 have also been found in the Forest-bed, but very few indica- 

 tions have been met with in earlier Pliocene beds. Mr. H. E, 

 Woodward obtained a bovine metatarsal from ihe Norwich Crag 

 of Stoke Holy Cross (Mem. Geo). Surv., Geology of Norwich, 

 p. 55, 1881), and Mr. E. Cavell, of Oaklands, Saxmundham, has 

 a metatarsal from the same horizon at Easton Bavent. 



The Museum of Practical Geology possesses a lower cheek 

 tooth (Plate III., Fig. 1) from the Red Crag of Boyton agreeing 

 with the .same tooth o^ Bos or Bison ; and similar teeth from the 

 Red Crag of Suffolk are in the Ipswich and British Museums. 



Messrs. R_. and A. Bell include Bison priscus in the Upper 

 Prag(Proc. Geo). Assoc., Vol. 11., p. 212, 1872); but I have 

 been unable to verify this or to find any other definite record of 

 the species from the English Crags. It is possible, however, that 

 the specimens above noticed may belong to Bison ; but they are 

 not sufiicient for generic determination. 



Bison bonasus, linnjeus. 



lu the absence of definite evidence as to the form of the skulland 

 horn-cores, the bovine remains found in the Forest-bed have 

 been called, with doubt, Bos primigenius (Mem. Geol. Surv. Vert. 

 Forest Bed, p. 47, 1882) ; but specimens of frontals and horn- 

 cores, have since been found which are undoubtedly Bison (Geol. 

 Mag. Dec, 3, Vol. VI., p. 146, 1889). There is no good reason 

 for separating these specimens from the, Pleistocene skulls which 

 have been called Bison priscus and are now believed to be identi- 

 cal with the living Bison bonasus. It will be undesirable to 

 retain both names, and until definite evidence of Bos primigenius 

 is obtained, it will be better to refer all the bovine remains from 

 the Forest-bed to Bison. 



As already stated, Messrs. R. and A. Bell included Bison 

 priscus in their Upper Crag list ; but one can hardly accept 

 this without verification, although the specimens alluded to above 

 as bovine may perhaps belong to Bison. 



