158 
one band over each metamere of the body. Lateral line sense-organs can 
be distinguished. Among the most striking internal characters may be 
mentioned the dorso-ventral flattening of the notochord, the late appea- 
rance of entoderm and alimentary organs generally, due doubtless to the 
great mass of the yolk. The primordial skull is unusually well developed. 
The auditory vesicle has an endolymphatic duct ending blindly immedia- 
tely under the skin on the top of the head. Along the sides of the 
body a system of organs occurs which are probably homologous with the 
embryonic sense-organs described by Brarp in the sharks. 
Dr. J. L. Worrman spoke of the “Ganodonts”, a new and primitive 
suborder of the Edentata from the Eocene of North America. One section 
or family of the suborder, viz: the Stylinodontidae, is composed of He- 
miganus, Psittacotherium, Ectoganus and Stylinodon and 
forms a closely connected and consecutive phylum — reaching from the base 
of the Puerco to the Bridger formation and leading directly to the Gravi- 
grada of ground sloths. A second family, viz: Conoryctidae, composed 
of Conoryctes and Onychodectes may be regarded as ancentral to 
the Armadillos. The character and origin of the Edentate fauna of South 
America was discussed at length and the conclusion reached that its ori- 
ginal home was in North America. It was further held that there was a 
migration to the southward before the close of the Eocene and that there 
must have then been an early land connection between the two continents. 
C. L. Brisroz, Secretary. 
Personalia. 
München. Dr. J. Rückert, Professor an der tierärztlichen Hoch- 
schule, ist an Rünıneer’s Stelle zum ordentlichen Professor der Anatomie 
in der medicinischen Facultät ernannt worden. 
Abgeschlossen am 22. Januar 1897. 
