124 University of California Publications in Geology [Vol. 9 



BISON BONASUS 



Comparing B. bison with the European B. bonasus, we are struck 

 by the fact that while the two are in many respects very different from 

 each other, and clearly constitute distinct species, the differences in the 

 skull and horn-cores are unexpectedly slight, and while the average 

 B. bonasus has a more massive skull with longer horn-cores than B. 

 bison, extremes of the two species overlap each other in all respects. 

 So far as can be ascertained from measurements given by Allen 8 and 

 Meyer," B. bonasus is subject to approximately the same amount of 

 sexual and individual variation as is B. bison. 



General Account op Bison antiquus 



HISTOKICAL 



Bison antiquus was first described by Leidy 10 from a fragment of 

 a horn-core found at Big Bone Lick, Kentucky. 



J. A. Allen, in his monograph on American bison, 11 included with 

 it a number of specimens which have since been referred to other 

 species. In 1897 Rhoads 12 described B. ealifornicus from a cranium 

 which had previously been referred to B. antiquus and which was put 

 back in that species by Lucas 13 in 1899. Lucas also describes an im- 

 perfect lower jaw from Alameda County, California, and Hay 14 in 

 1912 described a fairly well preserved cranium which is in Earlham 

 College, Indiana. So far as I am aware these are the only specimens 

 which have been so far described as belonging to this species. 



description of new material 

 As intimated above, there has hitherto been no adequate basis for 

 determination of the amount of individual and sexual variation, not 

 only in this species, but in any extinct American species of bison. The 

 abundant material, chiefly from the asphalt beds of Rancho La Brea, 

 which is in the collection of the University of California, affords 



sOp. cit. 



o Meyer, H. von, txber fossile Reste von Ochsen, Nova. Acta. Phys. Med. 

 Acad. Leop. Carol. Nat. Cur., vol. 13, pp. 101-169, pis. 8-12, 1835. 

 io Leidy, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1852, p. 117. 

 n Op. cit. 

 12 Op. cit. 

 is Op. cit. 



i* Hay, O. P. Geol. Surv. Indiana, vol. 35, p. 650, 1912. 



