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Show 1896.] ON THE ANATOMY OF RHYNCHOPS. 299 Dimensions of the teeth:- Length of upper m. 3 7*5 millim. m.2 12 „ » » m. 1 H „ » pm. 1 8 „ ,, Pm- 2 6 » „ „ „ pm.3 5 „ „ pm. 4 (alveolus only) .... 4 Length of lower m. 3 10 5> m 2 11 ,, „ iu.-( ii „ „ „ m.l 11 „ » „ pm. 1 8 „ » pm. 2 6 „ „ „ pm. 3 5 „ Length of upper molar series 31 „ „ lower „ „ 34 „ The very close resemblance between the Lower Pliocene and recent species is both remarkable and disappointing, for it might have been expected that in the former some generalized characters would be found that would throw some light on the probable ancestry of this most aberrant mammal; this, however, it has been seen, is not the case. As Dr. Forsyth Major has pointed out, the former distribution of the genus seems to show that it is of northern origin and that it spread into Africa along with the rest of the Pliocene Mammalia with which it has been found, and was not derived from any southern land-area. Although at present it has been found only at Samos and at Maragha in Western Persia, some twenty degrees farther east, the accompanying mammalian fauna has a much wider range. It has been met with at Concud in Spain, Mt. Leberon in Southern France, Baltavar in Hungary, and Troy in Asia Minor; it probably also ranged far to the east of Maragha, since Rhinoceros blanfordi, a species occurring in that locality, is also recorded from Baluchistan and from Southern China, where it is associated with a Giraffe. Although Orycteropus has not yet been discovered in these localities, it will probably be found to have ranged far both to the east and west of its limits as at present known. 5. A Contribution to the Knowledge of the Anatomy of Rhynchops. By F R A N K E. BEDDARD, M.A., F.R.S., Prosector to the Society. [Eeceived Febuary 4, 1896.] So far as I am aware the existing knowledge of Rhynchops is entirely derived from a paper by Brandt' upon its osteology. I found, therefore, with great pleasure a specimen of this genus among the spirit-preserved birds sent home from Western Africa 1 Mem. Acad. Sci. St. Petersb. ser. 6, Sci. Nat. iii. p. 218 (1840). |