On some Fossil Bovine Remains found in Britain. 73 



magnificient specimen of an entire skull from near Athol, 

 Perthshire, now in the British Museum."* 



British Museum. E. IT. Museum. 

 Inches. Inches. 

 Length of Skull, ... 36 26 

 Breadth of Forehead between horns, .10^ 9£ 

 Breadth of Occipital Condyles, . 6 6 

 Length of series of Upper Molar Teeth, 6^ 6^ 



Whilst the skulls agree pretty closely in several of their 

 measurements, there appears to be a considerable difference 

 between them as regards their length. Professor Owen does 

 not state what were the extreme points between which he 

 measured. In the most perfect of the two crania in the Edin- 

 burgh University Museum, the length of which is above given, 

 the line was drawn from the frontal ridge between the horn- 

 cores to the tip of the intermaxillary bone. If the line be ex- 

 tended backwards, however, as far as the occipital foramen, 

 the measurement is increased to 33J inches. The span be- 

 tween the tips of the horn-cores is thirty inches, and the cir- 

 cumference of the cores at the base 15 inches ; between the 

 orbits the skull measures 12 inches. 



If, as may very reasonably be conjectured, these crania were 

 found in Scotland, they add another to the many previously 

 existing examples of the existence of this large Bos in this 

 country. In addition to the instance already quoted from 

 Professor Owen's work, Dr Fleming^ has recorded instances of 

 the existence of large bovine crania in the marl-pits of Scot- 

 land, " exhibiting dimensions superior to those of the largest 

 domesticated breed." These, however, he refers to the Bos 

 taurus. I have had an opportunity of seeing the cranium par- 

 ticularly referred to by Dr Fleming. It is a remarkably fine 

 example of the Bos primigenius, the teeth, especially, being 

 well preserved. It is now in the Museum of the Free Church 

 College. In the Museum of the College of Surgeons in this 

 city is a well-marked specimen of the cranium of this animal. 

 In the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries there are three 

 crania, two of which are in very good condition, they were 



* Owen — "History of British Fossil Mammals and Birds," p. 501. 

 f History of British Animals, p. 24. 

 VOL. II. K 



