442 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



The species Bos froniosics was founded by Nilsson, and is charac- 

 terized by the great size, length, and breadth of the forehead, and 

 the prominent elevation between the horns, somewhat similar to that 

 in the subgenus Bihos, or the Gours, Gayals, and Bantingers of 

 Southern Asia. Its superiority of size, and the general robustness 

 of the structure, sufficiently differentiate it from Bos Jongifrons ; 

 whilst the direction of the horns, which curve moderately downwards, 

 and the general proportions of the forehead, prevent confusion with 

 Bos 'primigenius or Bos giganteus. 



Comparison of the specimen with the cast of the \p^y\^2X Bos fron- 

 tosus presented by Professor Nilsson, indicates some minor points of 

 difference. Thus, Mr. Davies points out that the space between the 

 orbits and the atta<3hmeut of the horn-cores is much longer in the 

 cast than in the Suffolk specimen. The elevation between the horns 

 is also higher, and the breadth between the orbits greater in the 

 cast. 



In Switzerland, at the present day, a small and spotted variety of 

 ox is found, which M. Kiitimeyer considers to be descended from the 

 Bos frontosus. We are not aware that any one has yet worked out 

 the points of distinction between the existing breeds of oxen in 

 England and Scandinavia, and the gigantic large-fronted ox whose 

 remains have been figured by Nilsson ; but the first British speci- 

 men is that of which we give a portrait in Plate XY. 



Our impression, however, is that a closer inspection of the semi- 

 fossilized, or rather unfossilized remains of Bovidae, which are so com- 

 monly turned up in the superficial deposits all over England, and 

 which are now heedlessly neglected, will be found to yield more spe- 

 cimens of this noble ox. 



The gigantic ox which was found in the Hercynian forests of Ger- 

 many, of whom Caesar speaks (De Bello Gallico, lib. 6: xxvii.) : "Ter- 

 tium est genus eorum, qui Uri appellantur. li sunt magnitudine 

 paullo infra Elephantos, specie et colore et figura tauri. . . . Am- 

 plitudo cornuum et figura et species multum a nostrorum bourn 

 cornibus differt," has been generally considered to be Bos primige- 

 nius. It may possibly be so ; but Caesar, who was accustomed to the 

 long-liorned oxen of the Eomagna, would hardly have noticed a dif- 

 ference between them and the equally long-hovnedi primigenius. The 

 difference, however, between the horns of B. frontosus and the Italian 

 ox would have struck him at once. 



It would not be fair of me to close this paper without acknow- 

 ledging that ray attention was directed to this specimen by my friend 

 Mr. Carter Biake. 



