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Show 1870.] ANATOMY OF THE PRONGHUCK. 337 animal's physiological relations or affinities, which, if not weighty, all events have their value. There being neither a suborbital gland (crumen), osseous fossa for the same, nor inguinal sacs and pores, points consequentially to forms exhibiting a kindred build. The total deprivation of the former shows but a remote alliance to the cervine structural peculiarities--*• though it does not necessarily constitute it an Antelope ; for a large section of the Antelopes possess a crumen. But a minor series, chiefly of the Goat-like forms, have it not; and to this group, then, the Prongbuck would be linked--a union which is strengthened by the fact that such Antelopes as are distinguished by the absence of inguinal sacs and pores come under the same group. Among Ruminants the Chamois is noted as having a glandular sac which opens behind the ear, though some authors indicate Procapra as having a postcorneal sinus. In the possession of a sub' auricular skin-gland Antilocapra announces organic relation. More* over the rank hircine odour from the above, as well as the circumstance of a glandular tail-patch, decidedly point to Capra. In brief, were the place of the Prongbuck to be assigned by the number, situation, and secretion of its skin-glands alone, I should without hesitation rank it among or close to the Goats. Casting a glance among the viscera and other internal soft struc^ tures of Antilocapra, the subjoined points demand attention. There being a gall-bladder severs it from the Cervidae and allies it with the Bovidae. The stomach having four fully developed cavities, there being no water-chambers in the rumen, and no ileo-csecal gland exclude it severally from the Tragulidse, Camelidse, and Giraffidaa. The tongue might either belong to a Goat, an Antelope, or a Stag, though probably more like that of the two former than the latter. In the non-development of Cowper's glands, in the manner of the termination of the vasa deferentia, and in the bluntish form of the glans penis, the generative organs denote consanguinity with the Deer, where such structural conditions preponderate in the group. The construction of the larynx has a sort of medium tendency of divergence, the general type being cervine, though the short upper cornua would rather signify kindred with the Chamois and some Antelopes. As to the liver, its having a gall-bladder takes the Prongbuck away from the Cervi, which have no such reservoir. Regarding dental characters, I can see no obvious distinction between the teeth-pattern of the Cabrit and the family Antilopidae. The appendicular skeletal segments show long limbs of a strong but manifestly fine and delicate construction, such alone as belong to the light fleeting Antelope tribe ; for in all Deer, Goats, and Sheep of similar size, relatively much stouter leg-bones pervade. In groups of the Ruminants there is considerable variation in the sternum, according as its component pieces are broad or narrow and the prsesternum compressed or flat. As a rule the elementary parts are broader in Deer than in Antelopes ; and in this moderate breadth to length the Prongbuck follows the latter. It also agrees with them in the form of its pelvis. |