A NEW FOSSIL RUMINANT GENUS. 21 



molar to the point of the incisives ; and 28.85 inches for the whole length 

 of the head, from the border of the occipital foramen to the margin of the 

 incisives ; these dimensions may be a little excessive, but we believe them 

 not to be far out, as the muzzle would still be short for the width of the 

 face, in a ruminant. 



The orbits next come to be considered. The size and position of the 

 eye form a distinguishing feature between the Ruminantia and the Pachy- 

 dermata. In the former it is large and full, in the latter smaller and sun- 

 ken ; and the expression of the face is more heavy in consequence. In the 

 Sivatherium the orbit is considerably smaller in proportion to the size of the 

 head than in existing ruminants. It is also placed more forward in the face, 

 and lower under the level of the brow. The rim is not raised and promi- 

 nent as in the Ruminantia, and the plane of it is oblique ; the interval be- 

 tween the orbits at their upper margin being 19.2 inches, and at the lower 

 16.2 inches. The longitudinal diameter exceeds the vertical in the ratio 

 of 5 to 4 nearly, the long axis being nearly in a line from the naso-maxil- 

 lary sinus across the hind limb of the zygomatic circle. From the above 

 we infer that the eye was smaller and less prominent than in existing rumi- 

 nants : and that the expression of the face was heavier and more ignoble, 

 although less so than in the Pachydermata, excepting the horse ; also that 

 the direction of vision was considerably forwards as well as lateral, and that 

 it was cut off, towards the rear. 



This closes what we have been led to infer regarding the organs of the 

 head. With respect to the rest of the skeleton, we have nothing to offer, as 

 we are not at present possessed of any other remains which we can with 

 certainty refer to the Sivatherium.* Among a quantity of bones| collected 

 from the same neighbourhood with the head fossil, there are three singularly 



* See Note to page 17. Sec. 



t We note here a very perfect cervical vertebra of a Ruminant in our possession, which must 

 have belonged to an animal of proportions equal to that of the Sivatherium, but from certain 



F 



