442 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
The species Bos froniostis 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 Bibos, 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 longifrons ; 
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 typical 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 attachment 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. Hiitimeyer 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 XV. 
Our impression, however, is that a closer inspection of the semi- 
fossilized, or rather unfossilized remains of Bovidse, 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 TIercynian 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-horned oxen of the Eomagna, would hardly have noticed a dif- 
ference between them and the equally long-homed primigenius. The 
difterence, 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 my attention was directed to this specimen by my friend 
Mr. Carter Blake. 
