1884. 53 Trans. N. Y. Ac. Set. 



January 21, 1884. 

 Section of Biology. 



The President, Dr. J. S. Newberry, in the Chair. 



Sixty persons were present. 



Mr. G. F. KuNZ exhibited two specimens of corundum from 

 North Carolina — the one a crystal of 13 grammes — the other, weigh- 

 '"g 3-15 karats, cut en eabochon, probably the most perfect star 

 sapphire ever found in the United States. Both were of a rich light 

 brown color, very compact, and resembled a variety of sapphire 

 from the " Hill of Precious Stones" in Siam. 



A paper was then read by Prof. H. L. Fairchii.d, illustrated 

 with the lantern, on 



methods of animal self-defence. 



discussion. 



The President remarked on the character of the dentition in the 

 sabre-toothed cat, Machairodus, of which the canines of the upper jaw 

 project seven or eight inches, and were curved, compressed, and 

 sharp -edged. In the Tertiary age such teeth were common to many 

 carnivorous animals not closely related, and seem to have been instru- 

 ments fitted and employed for reaching the vital parts of other ani- 

 mals especially protected by bony armor. In ancient times, a constant 

 competition had been going on between the means of offence and 

 defence. This was well illustrated by the strife now maintained be- 

 tween the weapons and armor of men and ships in human warfare. 

 Some of the ancient animals were better provided with means for 

 attack and defence than any in later times — for example, the mail- 

 clad ganoids and spine-bearing sharks of the Devonian and Carboni- 

 ferous seas, the formidable teeth and claws of Megalosaurus and 

 Lcelaps, and the thick bony plates and enormous spines for defence of 

 Stcgosanrus ; also the great canines oi Machairodtis, and the impene- 

 trable carapace of the contemporaneous Glyptodon. In the latter 

 case the huge armadillo was probably vulnerable only at the throat, 

 and the sabre-like teeth of Machairodns were probably used to pene- 

 trate that part. 



Geology furnishes many examples of the nice adaptation of means 

 of defence among the herbivorous animals against the weapons of 

 the carnivora, but it is a remarkable fact that we find very few 



