216 



UNGULATA 



ORDER VII 



Oxen are large, robust ruminants in which the characters of the Cavicornia 

 have attained their highest development. Their fossil remains first appear 

 in the Pliocene of northern India, afterwards in the Upper Pliocene of Europe. 

 As fossils oxen are not found in great abundance until the Pleistocene, when 

 they had the entire present range of the Bovinae. 



The frontal bones are filled with air-cavities, become greatly expanded, 

 and form almost the entire roof of the brain-case. In some instances, the 



parietal bones are quite 

 excluded from the 

 cranial roof, while the 

 more or less outwardly 

 directed frontal ap- 

 pendages are removed 

 far backward and out- 

 ward. The lachrymal 

 and nasal bones have 

 considerable size, but 

 lachrymal fossae are 

 absent. 



Riitimeyer divides 

 oxen into five groups, 

 as follows : 



A. BuBALus Group. 

 Buffalo. 



Frontal region strong- 

 ly arched, relatively but 

 little expanded ; accord- 

 ingly the parietal hones 

 take some part in the up- ■ 

 per surface of the cranial 

 roof. Horn-cores begin- 

 ning near the median 

 line of the shdL Horns 

 and horn- cores flattened, 

 generally triangular, 

 directed backward and 

 outivard. On the inner 

 side of the superior molars 

 are strong basal pillars, 

 variously curved or 

 " folded. 



Fig. i".ii. "^ 



Bubalushrachyceros GvAy. Recent, Africa. Male skull, front and lateral rv *. i ■ n \. z 



aspects. Greatly reduced. (After Rtitimeyer.) USteOlOglCally, DUI- 



faloes occupy an inter- 

 mediate position between oxen and the genus Boselaphus Blainville (Portax 

 H. Smith). Wild buffalo at present inhabit only southern Asia and 

 Africa. 



The extinct genera Probxihalm Riitimeyer {Hemihos and Peribos Falconer) 

 and Amphibos Falconer are found in the Tertiary of northern India. JBuffelus 



