Notes on the Crania of the Bos primigenius. Ill 



never seen a specimen of the bird before, although he had 

 lived for many years in the district. 



The last bird Dr Smith had to notice was the Shore Lark, 

 Alauda alpestris^ Linn. It is a bird of very rare occurrence, 

 being apparently only an accidental straggler in this country ; 

 in the north of Asia, Europe, and especially America, it 

 abounds, and migrates southwards in the autumn to more 

 temperate regions. The first specimen noticed in England 

 was in 1830, and only one or two have been observed since. 

 He had not been able to find any recorded as taken in Scotland. 

 This bird was killed by Mr Evans, Tynefield, about the 10th 

 of January last, near the mouth of the Tyne, and its plumage 

 was unfortunately much destroyed by the shot. It is a fine old 

 male, having the back brown ; tinted on the head, neck, and 

 shoulders, of a rich vinaceous colour ; the streak over the eye, 

 the forehead, and the ear-coverts, yellow; and with the lore 

 and a gorget of black ; under parts dull white, and flanks pale 

 reddish brown; axillaries white. It is the property of Dr C. 

 Nelson, Pitcox, near Dunbar, to whom it was presented. 



VIII. Notes on the Crania of the Urus (Bos primigenius) in the 

 Museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. By John 

 Alexander Smith, M.l). 



Some years ago, when gathering up various details in refer- 

 ence to the ancient small short-horned cattle of this country, 

 my attention was also directed to the large cattle (Bos pri- 

 migenius), and to the specimens of crania in the Museum of 

 the Society of Antiquaries. I took various measurements of 

 these crania, and searched the early records of the Society 

 for such information in regard to the places where they were 

 found, and any other details that might be of interest ; and 

 as Mr Turner has favoured us this session with some details 

 of the specimens of this great ox in the Anatomical Museum 

 of the University, I have thought it might interest the mem- 

 bers if I produced my old notes on the subject. 



There are three specimens of these crania of the Bos primi- 

 genius in the Museum of the Society, marked Nos. 2, 4, and 

 5 of the " Fossil Skulls," &c, in the printed Catalogue of the 

 Museum, and the following table gives some of their measure- 

 ments : — 



