82 me. e. x. newton on [Feb. 1903, 



were found. Mr. Duff suggests the possibility of this ground having 

 been disturbed when the new course for the river was dug; but it 

 seems very unlikely that the bones were disturbed at that time, for 

 if they had been, they would almost certainly have been more 

 broken than they are. It is more probable that the bones have lain 

 undisturbed in the peaty mud of the marshy river-bank, until they 

 were unearthed some three or four years ago. 



It is by the courtesy of the engineers for the Staines Reservoirs, 

 Messrs. Walter Hunter & R. E. Middleton, that I have had the 

 opportunity of examining these interesting fossil-remains, which 

 included, besides the elk-skull and antlers already mentioned, a pair 

 of lower-jaw rami with complete set of grin ding-teeth and a tibia, 

 which almost certainly belonged to the same animal. With these 

 elk-remains were portions of other cervine mammals : namely, a 

 lower-jaw ramus and a tibia of a large red-deer (Cervus elaphus) 

 and an antler of a fallow-deer (Cervus dama). Besides these, were 

 found the skull and lower jaw of a pig (Sus scrofa), the teeth 

 of which were worn away almost to the roots, and the lower jaw 

 much diseased ; and, lastly, there were a skull and a metatarsal of 

 a horse. 



Description of Elk-Remains. 



Antlers and brain-case. — The right antler and the brain- 

 case are almost perfect, but the left antler is somewhat broken, and 

 the anterior facial parts of the skull, together with the maxillaries 

 and upper teeth, are wanting. The frontal suture not being closed 

 has given way, so that the left frontal bone with its antler is 

 detached from the rest of the skull. The two antlers are not 

 quite alike in form, and the right one is larger than the left ; but 

 both are widely palmated, and show little or no indication of the 

 division into anterior and posterior portions such as may mostly be 

 seen in modern elk-antlers. The pedicles with the beams extend 

 almost directly outward from the frontals, with a curve downward 

 and forward. There is no indication of a brow-tine. When the 

 base of the skull is horizontal, the concave surface of the palmation 

 looks almost directly upward. The right antler, which is the most 

 perfect, has had six (or perhaps seven) points. The frontal bones 

 between the antlers are raised into a rounded, but well-marked 

 crest, which is seen in both front and side views, and stands higher 

 than antler-burrs. Immediately in front of this crest, and just 

 behind the level of the orbits, is a large median depression divided 

 by a slight ridge along the frontal suture. The following are 

 some of the most important measurements : — Circumference of right 

 pedicle = 6-1- inches (163 millimetres); from frontal suture to outer- 

 most tine (imperfect) of right antler =21 inches (535 mm.). Same 

 measurement of left antler=19 inches (475 mm.). The greatest 

 width across both antlers to outermost tines = 39 inches (985 mm.). 

 Width of palm of right antler, measured from tips of anterior and 



