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Show 1870.] DR. J. MURIE ON SAIGA TARTARICA. 457 others behind are subquadrate, increasing consecutively in length and width, the last being double the width of the first. The xiphosternum (a?) flat, and obliquely downwardly bent, has a broad proximal base, which narrows suddenly and, becoming spatular, terminates with a slightly expanded tip. Three-quarters underview of sternum, with cartilages and portion of the ribs attached, p. st. Presternum, m. st. Mesosternum. x. Xiphosternum. 2. Of the Cranial Framework. (A) Different Aspects of the Skull. - In several particulars the skull of Saiga tartarica is isolated or unique amongst living Ruminants, though, as will be shown hereafter, one or more ancient types foreshadowed the peculiarities. Pallas (I. c. tab. iii. figs. 9 & 10) has given reduced figures of it in profile, and in front foreshortened ; and Dr. Gray, in his ' Catalogue of Mammalia in the British Museum,' 1852 (tab. vi. figs. 1 & 2), has likewise represented similar views. In those figures, however, the horns and general outline of the skull seemingly have been more attended to than definition of the coadapted osseous areas; hence fresh representations are, in a great measure, a necessary adjunct to a description of the bony elements of this bizarre Ruminant's skull. The skull of the hornless female and the homed male necessarily exhibit different aspects*. Dealing with the latter, when looked at sideways (shown in fig. 5), the prominent features may be summarized as follows :- * Skeletons of the Saiga hitherto have been rare in this country. Besides the Hunterian and the present specimen, I only know of one other, which was obtained some years since by the Museum of the University of Cambridge- where in addition are two skulls (male and female), all being from wild animals. Professor Newton obliged m e by kindly transmitting the two latter crania for m y inspection. Comparing these with that here described and the College of Surgeons' specimen, I detected little differences worthy of special record other than sexual, i. e. diminution of osseous sutural ridges and absence of horns in the female. I may also add that the tympanic bulla? in the female were relatively more inflated than in the male; in the latter laterally compressed and very ovine. |