ISSit.] ' * [Cope. 



tlie Creodonta, is quite as in true placental Carnivorn. Professor Qaudry 

 has expressed the opinion that tlie Creodonta are tlie descendants of the 

 Marsupialia.'^ I incline to maintain another view. 



If we suppose that the Creodonta are the descendants of the Marsupialia, 

 we must suppose that the Insectivora, to which they are related, are also 

 the descendants of the Marsupialia, and this is on various grounds not 

 very probable. The lower forms of unguiculate mammalia with small 

 cerebral hemispheres are very much alike in important charactei's, and to 

 these I have given the name of Bunotheria. I suspect that this group is 

 as old as the Marsupialia, and may even have given origin to it. Tliat 

 it developed cotemporaneously with it in various parts of the world is 

 evident. 



Restoration. The Wasatch beds of New Mexico have yielded remains 

 of more than a dozen species, which ranged from the size of a weasel to that 

 of a jaguar. The Bridger beds of Wyoming probably contain as many 

 species, which range from small size to the dimensions of a bear. 



In general appearance, the Creodonta differed from the Carnioora, in 

 many of the species at least, in the small relative size of the limbs as com- 

 pared with that of the head, and in some instances as compared with the 

 size of the hind feet. The feet are probably plantigrade, and the posterior 

 ones capable of some degree of horizontal rotation. The probable large size 

 of the rectus femoris muscle indicates unusual power of extension of the 

 hind limb. They were furnished Avith a long and large tail. Probably 

 some of the species resembled in proportions the Mystomys and Solenodon, 

 now existing in Africa and the West Indies, but they mostly attained a 

 niuch larger size. The habits of many of them were probably aquatic. 



Classification. To the Creodonta I have referred,! on the information" 

 vsjhich we possess, the genus Arctocyon of Blainville. Professor Gervais 

 has discovered that it possessed the very small cerebral hemispheres charac- 

 teristic of the Creodonta. The olfactory lobes are large, and project far 

 beyond the hemispheres, while not only the cerebellum, but probably the 

 corpora quadrigemina, were exposed behind. The tarsal articulation and 

 the posterior part of the mandibular bones are unknown, hence this refer- 

 ence is not certain. Professor Gervais:}: regards it, after Laurillard,§ as a 

 marsupial, and establishes an especial family of the order for its reception. 

 It is, however, more probable that its affinities are with the contemporary 

 genera of flesh-eaters, Palceonyctis Blv., and Pterodon Blv., genera which 

 have near allies among the American forms. Palceonyctis was the 

 contemporary of the Corjqihodons in the Suessoiiian period of Western 

 Europe, and presents a strong resemblance to Amhlyctonus in its mandible, 

 the onlj^ part of the skeleton known. The posterior part of the ramus is 

 not inflected according to Gervais, and he therefore does not refer it to the 

 Marsupialia.\ The nearest European representative of 0.r^ie?ia is P/ero- 



* Enchainements du Monde Animal, lS7-<, p. 21. 



t Report Capt. G. M. Wheeler, Expl. Surv. \V. lOJ Mer. IS77, Iv, pi. ii, p. 88. 



X Nouv. archives du museum. 1870, p. 150. 



?Dict. univ. d'hist. naturelle, ix, p. 400. 



II Nouv. archives du museum, 1870, 151. 



