There is, however, a general resemblance between the two animals ; and the fully grown Cervus verticornis must have rivalled the Irish Elk in size, although its antlers were not so wide in their sweep, or so elegant in their outlines.
The following are the measurements (in inches) of the principal antlers which I have examined:—
|
|
Geolog.
Survey
(King
collect.).
|
Norwich
Museum.
|
Norwich
Museum.
(Gunn
collect.).
|
British
Museum.
|
Maximum length ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
12⋅0
|
......
|
13⋅5
|
17⋅5
|
Circumference of beam ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
4⋅8
|
|
......
|
19⋅0
|
Basal circumference ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
7⋅5
|
7⋅2
|
10⋅4
|
11⋅5
|
Long diameter of base ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
3⋅0
|
|
|
|
Short diameter of base ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
2⋅0
|
|
|
|
Circumference of brow-tyne ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
2⋅5
|
......
|
7⋅5
|
8⋅0
|
From brow-tyne to second tyne ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
2⋅0
|
......
|
3⋅3
|
6⋅5
|
From second tyne to third tyne ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
1⋅8
|
2⋅8
|
|
|
2. Other Species from the Forest-bed.
The Cervidæ of the Forest-bed present a most remarkable mixture of forms. Dr. Falconer has determined one species, Cervus Polignacus (Palæontographical Memoirs, ii. p. 479), which occurs also in the Pliocene lacustrine deposit of Mont Perrier, near Issoire; and he has described a new species, with peculiar flattened branching antlers, as 'C. Sedgwickii (op. cit. p. 476). The Stag, Roe, and Cervus megaceros' are also present. To these I am now able to add the species which M. Laugel obtained from the Pliocenes of St.-Prest, near Chartres, and described in the 'Bull, de la Société Géol.' 2d ser, xix. p. 711, 1862, under the name of Cervus (megaceros) carnutorum.
It is based on the frontlet with portions of the beams of the antlers. The latter are round and deeply grooved, and the burr is strongly defined and annular. The brow-antler is removed nearly 2 inches from the burr, and rises at an acute angle to the beam. According to Prof. Gervais, the skull differs from that of the Irish Elk in the interval between the bases of the antlers being smaller. The following measurements are taken from his work 'Animaux Vertébrés vivants et fossiles,' 1867–9, p. 85:—
|
|
St.-Prest.
|
Oyster-beds,
Norfolk.
|
Interval between pedicles ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
1⋅75
|
1⋅8
|
Frontal measurement from below pedicle ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
5⋅92
|
6⋅0
|
Suborbital foramen to its fellow ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
3⋅6
|
3⋅7
|
Circumference of beam at burr ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
10⋅2
|
7⋅3
|
Distance from burr to first tyne ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
1⋅85
|
|
Length of pedicle, measured behind ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
|
......
|
1⋅9
|
A waterworn frontlet of Cervus in the Museum of the Geological Society, and obtained from the "Oyster-beds" of the Norfolk coast
