720 REPORT— 1895. 



the Lower Eocene, the Wasatch heing probably their time of culmination, while 

 only one genus (JIy<e>iodoii) is known to pass into the Miocene. The appearance 

 of five distinctly difterentiated families in the Puerco indicates that their origin is 

 to be looked for in the Cretaceous formation. North America was eminently the 

 home of the group, having many more genera and families than Europe has yet 

 yielded. So far, none are known from the southern hemisphere. 



Though including several divergent lines of differentiation, the group is 

 characterised by a fairly uniform structure. The incisors and canines are of the 

 carnivorous type, and rarely are reduced in number ; the sectorials are either absent 

 or present in more than one pair (except in the Miacidce) ; the molars generally 

 retain the tritubercular plan more or less distinctly. The milk dentition is of the 

 same cliai-acter as in the true carnivora. The brain is small and the hemispheres 

 usually little convoluted. The skull has a very long slender cranial part, with 

 deep postorbital constriction, very prominent sagittal and occipital crests, and a 

 short facial region. The vertebne are remarkable for the complex zygapophyses 

 on the lumbars and posterior thoracics. The limbs are relatively short and light, 

 the humerus retaining the epicondylar foramen, and the femur the third trochanter. 

 The feet are weak and almost invariably plantigrade and pentadactyl, and with 

 only one known exception, the scaphoid, lunar, and central remain separate. The 

 ungual phalanges are very generally cleft at the tip, as in the iusectivora. 



The creodonts fall quite naturally into two sections, one with more or less 

 blunt and tuberculated teeth, and the other with trenchant teeth. The first section, 

 which includes three families, the Arctocyonidse, Triisodontidae and Mesonychidse, 

 is most abundant in the Puerco, and has but a single representative in the Middle 

 and Upper Eocene. No existing forms appear to have been derived from the 

 creodonts with tuberculate teeth. 



The second section includes five families, the Proviverridaj, Oxysenidte, liyEeno- 

 dontidse, Palaeonictidse, and Miacidte, the last of which is very sharply dis- 

 tinguished from all other creodonts, and forms the connecting link with the true 

 carnivora. The creodonts with trenchant teeth are most important and highly 

 developed in the Wasatch and Bridger, after which they decline, their place being 

 gradually taken by the carnivores. 



Most of the fissipede carnivora would seem to be clearly derivable from the 

 Miacidcc, except the cats, the origin of which is still obscure, and which are 

 remarkable for the extremely rapid specialisation which they attain at a very early 

 period. The Pinnipedia, on the other hand, would seem to have been derived 

 from some other creodont family. Wortman has suggested, with considerable 

 probability, that the Oxycenida- were tlie ancestors of the Pinnipedes, but the gap 

 between the two is yet so great as to render this uncertain. 



FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13. 



The following Papers were read : — 



1. On some Results of Scientific Investigation as applied to Fisheries. 

 By Professor W. C. JVI'Intosh, F.R.S. 



My remarks are based' on experience mainly, but not altogether, gained in 

 Scotland, but are applicable to the empire, or indeed to European fisheries. The 

 greater responsibility has been felt, since England possesses no public department 

 precisely corresponding to the Fishery Board for Scotland. It may be pointed 

 out that such investigations in i-egard to the fisheries are of so recent a date that 

 perhaps it is too early to estimate comprehensively the results ; but since there are 

 hostile critics it may be well to take a general survey of the results — often gained 

 under considerable difiiculty, especially in regard to sea-going ships, for only a 

 small steam vessel has been at the service of the Fishery Board, instead of a 

 powerful vessel capable of going to distant grounds in rough weather. Previous 



