ivith Descriptions of New Species. 221 



Surv. Terr., vol. 5, 59, 1880 ; Merycochceriis superhus Cope, Proc. 

 Amer. Philos. Soc, 21, 521-523, 1884; Promerycochoerus super- 

 bus Douglass, this Jour. (4), 11, 82, 1901; Paracotylops super- 

 hus Matthew in Merriam, Univ. Calif., Bull. Dept. Geology, vol. 

 2, 296, 1901 ; Merycochoerus temporalis Bettany, Quart. Jour. 

 Geol. Soc, London, 32, 269-272, pi. 17, 1876. 



Cotypes: No. 516, Condon Collection, Univ. of Oregon; Cat. 

 Nos. 10151, 10152, 10153, 10967, 10968, Y. P. M. All from 

 Upper Oligocene (upper John Day), Bridge Creek, John Day 

 River, Oregon. 



History. — Since this species has been subjected to so 

 many changes in its classification, it is pertinent briefly to 

 review its history. The attention of paleontologists was 

 first directed to Oregon in 1870, when Leidy reported on 

 a collection of vertebrate fossils sent to the Smithsonian 

 Institution by the Rev. Thomas Condon, of Dalles City, 

 Oregon. These fossils were collected by Mr. Condon in 

 the valley of Bridge Creek, John Day River, Oregon. 

 Most of these specimens belonged, Leidy said, 

 ' ' apparently to a species of Oreodon, larger than any previously 

 discovered and equalling in size Merycochoerus proprius. 

 Indeed, so far as we are familiar with the skull of both, the two 

 are so nearly alike that one may be regarded as only a variety of 

 the other, or at most both may be viewed as distinct species of 

 the same genus. I am, however, disposed to view one as the 

 offspring, by selection, of the other, and regard them as corre- 

 sponding species of two genera which existed in different times 

 or localities. ' ' 



The characters of the species, as outlined in this report, 

 are as follows: Form and constitution of cranium same 

 as in Oreodon cidhertsonii; large inflated bullae; face 

 rather more abruptly narrowed in advance of the orbits 

 than in Oreodon major, but not to the same degree as in 

 Merycochoerus proprius; infra-orbital arch 1% inches 

 deep ; orbits small ; lacrymal fossa shallow, as in Oreodon 

 gracilis; infra-orbital foramen above P^ ; jaws not so 

 robust as in M. proprius, and bone less thick; length of 

 skull, 14 inches; crown of inferior canine (Pj) one inch 

 wide antero-posteriorly, and the three succeeding premo- 

 lars occupy 2 1/3 inches. 



In 1871,^ Leidy briefly re-described this species, adding 

 that the canines and premolars are proportionately wider 

 and thinner than in the Badlands Oreodon. Up to 1873, 

 there had been no published illustrations of the species, 



« Joseph Leidy, 2d (4th) Ann. Eept., U. S. Geol. Survey Terr., 346-347. 



