1915] 



Merriam: Pleistocene Mammals from Astor Pass 



381 



GAMELID, near CAMELOPS? 



An astragalus (no. 21385, fig. 2) represents a camel near Camelops, 

 the form known at Raneho La Brea. 



A fragment of the distal end of a metapodial represents a large 

 camel. It is too incomplete for determination. 



The specimen (pi. 41) which Mr. William Hood kindly placed at 

 the disposal of the writer, comprises the portion of the skull situated 

 between the anterior borders of the orbits and the anterior ends of the 

 nasals. The cheek-tooth dentition is complete with the exception of 

 M 3 . The teeth are unusually well preserved and are in an early stage 

 of wear. P 4 shows beginning wear, but the enamel pattern is not com- 

 pletely outlined. 



The enamel pattern is distinctly more complex than that seen in 

 the Raneho La Brea specimens of Equus occidental-is, and approaches 

 the degree of complexity found in E. pacificus. The anterior and 

 posterior fossettes may be somewhat wider than in the type of E. 

 pacificus. The form of the protocone may be approximated in either 

 E. pacificus or E. occidentalis. The dimensions average slightly larger 

 than those of E. occidentalis of Raneho La Brea, although some 

 individuals of the Raneho La Brea species may show measurements 

 slightly exceeding those of the Astor Pass specimen. The measure- 

 ments are somewhat smaller than those of the type of E. pacificus, but 

 may fall within the limits of variation in that species. 



As yet the variation within Equus pacificus is not sufficiently well 

 known to make possible an exact statement of the characters of that 

 species. In general, it would seem that the cheek-teeth are distin- 

 guished from those of E. occidentalis, as represented in the Raneho La 

 Brea collections, by large size, narrow fossettes, and more complicated 

 pattern of the enamel bordering the fossettes and the outer end of the 

 post-protoconal valley. 



As nearly as one can judge from the material available, the Astor 

 Pass specimen resembles Equus pacificus more closely than do any of 

 the horses as yet observed in the Raneho La Brea collections. It is 

 not clear that this form is certainly to be referred to E. pacificus. 



Dimensions of Astragalus, No. 21385 



Greatest anteroposterior diameter 

 Greatest width at distal end 



80.5 mm. 

 54. 



EQUUS, sp. 



