1878.] THE SECRETARY ON ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. 377 



the Sylvian fissure, which in the Mustelidae and in the Genets remains 

 as such, notwithstanding that these two latter groups had other- 

 wise diverged before the brain began to modify. From the Mus- 

 teline animals (the Arctoid ancestral type) the Ursidse seem to 

 have diverged, the superior or third cerebral convolution broadening 

 and tending to divide, whilst the others persist unmodified. 



Those Viverridae which are more modified than the genus Genetta, 

 acquire a broadening of the lowest or first circum-Sylvian convolu- 

 tion, especially in its posterior limb, in which a perpendicular 

 sulcus is formed ; and this peculiarity is more strongly marked in 

 Hycena, as well as in Proteles. In the Felidae the anterior as well 

 as the posterior limb of this first circum-Sylvian gyrus broadens, 

 and becomes perpendicularly bisected to such an extent that if in 

 them there were a longitudinal sulcus developed in the upper median 

 portion of the gyrus, a complete secondary gyrus would appear. 

 Such a gyrus, evidently thus originating, is found in the Canidae, 

 in which the extra convolution is therefore a reduplication of the 

 first, dependent on the differentiation off of its outer moiety. 



On the assumption of the correctness of this hypothesis, the 

 classification of the Fissiped Carnivora might be represented thus: — 



UrsidiE. Mustelidfe. Hyaenidae. Viverridse. Felidae. Canidas. 

 • • • • • • 



>v_ 



^ 



1- 



I 

 Ancestral Type. 



By Prof. Flower ', after a most careful analysis of their cranial 

 and other peculiarities, the Canidae are placed between the Arctoidea 

 and .ZEluroidea ; but from the same facts Mr. H. N. Turner 2 placed 

 the three major groups in the same order of sequence that the 

 brain-markings indicate, namely Ursidse, Felidae, and Canidae, 

 which makes it evident that such an arrangement is not opposed to 

 the teaching of the parts other than the cerebral hemispheres. 



April 2nd, 1878. 

 Prof. Newton, F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. 



The Secretary read the following report on the additions to the 

 Society's Menagerie during the month of March 1878. 



The total number of registered additions to the Society's Mena- 

 gerie during the month of March was 74, of which 32 were by pre- 

 1 P. Z. S. 1869, p. 4. s P. Z. S. 1848, p. 83. 



