Cornell University Library QE 881.B47 A Cervalces antler <|;o'",t'^^„;°';° J,!?,,™ ^ UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO STUDIES GEOLOGICAL SERIES No. 8: A CERVALCES ANTLER FROM THE TORONTO INTERGLACIAL, by B. A. Bensley & THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY: PUBLISHED BY THE LIBRARIAN, 1913 IHnlvcreit^ of tToronto StuMee COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT Chairman: Robert Alexander Falconer, M.A., Litt.D., LL.D., D.D President of the University Professor W. J. Alexander, Ph.D. Professor W. H. Ellis, M.A., M.B. Professor George M. Wrong, M.A. Professor J. J. Mackenzie, B.A. Professor J. P. McMurrich, Ph.D. Professor G. H. Needler, Ph.D. General Editor: H. H. Langton, M.A, Librarian of the University Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924004670984 A CERVALCES ANTLER FROM THE TORONTO INTERGLACIAL BY B. A. BENSLEY, Ph.D. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR 'OF ZOOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO J ?J^ /=2/5 A CERVALCES ANTLER FROM THE TORONTO INTERGLACIAL Cervalces borealis, sp. nov. The specimen consists of a part of a right antler belonging to the Geological Collection (No. 20176) of the University of Toronto. It was obtained in 1909, by Professor A. P. Cole- man, from a local gravel-pit. Like the few remaining fossils which have been obtained from Pleistocene deposits of this region, it occurred as an isolated fragment, which had doubt- less been transported from another region. It appears to represent a species distinct from those already described, and is of interest in view of the infrequent discovery of Cervalces remains, and from the possible future correlation of Toronto deposits with those elsewhere. As shown by the accompanying figure, the specimen com- prises that portion of the antler from the burr to the begin- ning of palmation, including the base of the anterior ascend- ing ramus. The beginning of palmation is indicated poster- iorly only by a flattened surface where the posterior process is abruptly broken away : total length, 450 mm. ; length of beam from base to beginning of anterior ascending ramus, approximately 330 mm.; diameter of middle portion of beam, 60 mm. The beam is conspicuously convex dorsally and considerably concave anteriorly, when viewed from above. The plane of the burr is not at right angles to the axis of the beam, but forms an obtuse angle with it anteriorly, showing that in its natural position the beam was directed very slightly backwards as well as outwards. By a remarkable coincidence, the fragment is almost identical with one somewhat more complete, originally mentioned by the late Professor Calvin (1909), from Denison, Iowa, and lately described as Cervalces roosevelti, by Dr. O. P. Hay (1913). Mr. C. O. Thomas, of the Iowa State University 2 A Cervalces ANTr.RR I'-rom the Toronto Interglacial has kindly sent mc a photograi)h of the specimen, and Dr. Hay has also kindly sent me the particulars of it. The measurements of the specimen as reported by Hay give the anterior length irom lieain to ])ase of ascending process, 300 nun., and the dicimeter of tlae base, 55 mm., the measure- ments being practically identical with those of the Toronto specimen, thoiigli it would appear from a comparison that the dorsal convexit}' of the Toronto specimen is considerably greater and that the posterior palmation was de\-eloped as in C. scolti, a leatiue which seems t() l)e lacking in C. roosevelti. The first adecpiate description f>f the genus is that of Scfjtt (1885), trom the almost complete specimen found in New Jersey, and named \)\ him Ccrvalces americamis (later, C. scotti, Lydekker, 1808)'. Dr. W. J. Sinclair has kindly sent me measiu'emenls of the antler-beam of the specimen, which is n