692 REPORT— 1903. 



well as of three tooth-sockets on one side and four on the other, still persist. 

 The pterygoids touch. The premaxillse show an elongated triangular surface ia 

 front of the blow-holes. 



3. Note on the Peritoneum in Meles taxus. 

 By Professor Bichaed J. Anderson, M.D. 



The peritoneum in a badger examined some time ago presents some points of 

 interest. 



The vena cava posterior occupies the usual position behind the level of the 

 anterior end of the right kidney. The vein, however, after receiving the right 

 renal becomes separated from the posterior abdominal wall, and with a simple 

 investment of peritoneum goes forward to the liver. 



So marked was this venous cord that the space between it and the abdominal 

 wall was for a moment mistaken for the foramen of Winslow, which, however, 

 was immediately seen lying to the left. 



A cord was found on the left side reaching from the kidney to the omentum, 

 and this trabecular band seems to have been generated in a somewhat similar 

 manner to that in which the right one arose. 



The question arose here whether the foramen of Winslow may not be aided in 

 forming by the growth of the upper part of the liver, which may induce a separa- 

 tion of the vessels included in the omentum. 



4. The Skull of Ursus ornatus. 

 By Professor Richard J. Anderson, M.D. 



The bear of the Cordilleras, Ursus (?) ornatus, was at one time regarded as an 

 ally of Ursus malm/anus. The nasal bones in both genera are short, and whilst 

 the swollen parietal region in malaycmus suggests a more elevated position, the 

 greater depth of the skull is equally suggestive of a higher type in Ursus ornatus. 

 The great crest of the skull in the latter type is not unlike a similar structure in 

 Cebus, a monkey which the greater depth of the skull brings the bear to resemble ; 

 and it is necessary to prop the skull by a wedge introduced beneath the occipital 

 in order to display the parts to the best advantage, and to make the skull rest on 

 the inferior margin of the lower jaw. In Ursus 2>olaris the skull, it will be 

 remembered, lies flat upon a table. 



The plane of the nasal apertures meets the alveolar plane at a high angle. 

 The sagittal ridge, which goes directly back, is placed at an angle of 45° 

 to the plane of the anterior nares. The ridge is parallel to the plane passing 

 through the lower border of the mandible. 



The coronoid process is 4 J inches above the level of the angle of the lower jaw, 

 and the angle is inflected. 



The line joining the summit of the occipital bone with the angle of the lower 

 jaw is nearly parallel to the line joining the inter-premaxillary suture to the 

 nasals. The skull is thus rhomboidal (or rhombohedral) in profile. 



The summit of the nasals is directly above the first molar. Compared with a 

 Howler monkey the nasal summit was found to be directly above the anterior 

 premolars. The length of the skull is 24 cm., height 14 cm., breadth 16 cm. 

 between the zygomata, and cm. between the most prominent parts of the 

 parietals. 



The capacity of the cranial cavity in the skull examined is greater than that 

 of Ursus americanus, of Ursus thibetanus {torquatus), and of an adult lioness. 

 It is, however, less than that of Ursus malai/anus, and that of polaris with a 

 longer skull. 



Ornatus 8«ems, therefore, to be a composite type. 



