Vol. 6] Merriam: Virgin Valley and Thousand Creek. 



291 



Relationships. — As was noted in the original description of 

 Sphenophalos 27 this form resembles the prong-horn antelopes 

 somewhat in the general form of the horn-core and also in the 

 surface of the core. The tendency of the horn-cores of the fossil 

 form to widen anteroposteriorly a short distance above the base 

 is also a character in which they resemble the horns of the prong- 

 horn. The horn-cores differ from those of the pronghorn in 

 greater thickness, more oblique position, slightly more posterior 

 situation, and entirely different topography of the postero-basal 

 region. 



Unfortunately we have not been able to obtain material 

 showing the nature of the terminal region of the horns of Spheno- 

 phalos. The widening of the laterally compressed horn-core not 

 far above the base certainly suggests that the terminal region 

 may have a general resemblance to that of Antilocapra. 



Of the large Antilocapra-like molar teeth found in the Thous- 

 and Creek Beds it seems probable that some of the specimens 

 represent Sphenophalos. 



Unfortunately the material representing the limbs, arches, 

 and vertebral column of antelope-like forms found in these beds 

 consisted solely of scattered bones, and nothing like a connected 

 skeleton has been recovered. It is, however, well worth con- 

 sidering that none of this material represents forms which differ 

 greatly from Antilocapra, and the larger forms are uniformly 

 close to that genus. 



Taking into consideration all of the evidence obtained from 

 an examination of the skull material which can be definitely 

 referred to Sphenophalos, and with it such evidence as is ob- 

 tained from examination of the associated remains representing 

 other parts of the skeleton and the dentition, there seems to be 

 much in favor of the view that Sphenophalos is a representative 

 of the Antilocapridae, while almost no facts present themselves 

 which seems to contradict this hypothesis. 



The difference between the Thousand Creek species and the 

 Recent Antilocapra seems to the writer sufficient to require their 

 generic separation, but it would not be surprising to find the 



27 Merriam, J. C, op. cit., p. 328, 1909. 



