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Show 1870.] ANATOMY OF THE PRONGBUCK. 353 ducts or crypts, which are found on the floor of the urethral cavity, at its anterior half, in the membranous groove between the inferior-portions of the compressor muscle (cu). The glandular tubes open by separate puncta within the urethra. Where these terminate at the bulb and narrowing of the urethral passage, there is a semilunar free fold of membrane, forming a short cul-de-sac 0*2 inch deep. The bulbo-cavernosus (B. c), the ischio-cavernosus (/. c), and the retractores penis muscles (R.p, R.p*) are each fairly developed. The preputium (p) is attached by a fraenum 0*9 inch from the tip of the penis. The glans is relatively thick posteriorly, but flattened in front; the tip being of an expanded spatular figure, with the corpus spongiosum and meatus urinarius (m. u) barely projecting beyond the terminal border, and not forming a long, free, whip-like process, as in some ruminants. The testes are small, each being under 1| inch long. 9. OSTEOLOGY. Condition of the Bones.--I have strong reasons for suspecting that the unhealthy condition of the body affected the bones ; but if not, these are remarkable for their lightness and porosity throughout the whole skeleton; indeed, as Mr. Gerrard, Sen., remarked, no ruminant skeleton of equal size possesses such delicacy of osseous texture. Comparing the other crania of the Prongbuck in the British Museum with our specimen, they did not feel nearly so light, but nevertheless sufficiently attested such absence of solidity that some might infer it as a quality predominant in the bony frame of this creature. If one were to speculate upon this fact, it might be given as one reason for the extraordinary fleetness of the creature. Their rapidity of speed is related as something marvellous. Travellers agree that they outstrip a swift horse. Audubon's account* is unique ; mentioning the several gaits, he concludes, " While so rapidly do then-legs perform their graceful movements in propelling their bodies over the ground, that, like the spokes of a fast-turning wheel, we can hardly see them, but instead observe a gauzy or film-like appearance where they should be visible. A. The Cranium. (a) Skull as a whole.-In profile (fig. 6, B) the cranium is remarkably elongate antero-posteriorly, and shallow vertically. The summit and base run almost in parallel lines, so as to give great flattening or shallowness from above downwards. This is very unlike most of the living Cervidae and Bovidae, where the frontal region is lofty and slopes downwards and forwards often sharply. Some of the Bovines (Bubalus, for example) have a tendency to upper levelling of the skull; and among Antelopes such genera as Oreas and Alcelaphus exhibit lowness in the cranial vault; but in all of these the resemblance is * Op. cit. p. 198. |
