907.] OJf THE ORIGIN OF MAMMAL-LIKE REPTILES. 1047 



Mr. F. E. Beddarcl, F.R.S., Prosector to the Society, exhibited 

 a skin of the rare Marsupial Dactylopsila 2^<^i'^'P(i'tor (A. Mihie- 

 Edw.), which had been placed in his hands by Dr. 0. G. 

 Seligmann, F.Z.S. 



A collection of Molluscan Shells, Corals, &c. collected in the 

 Pamban Channel, Southern India, was exhibited on behalf of 

 Mr. C. M. Yenkataramanujalu. 



The Secretary, Dr. P. Chalmers Mitchell, F.R.S., exhibited pre- 

 parations of the intestinal tracts of the Polyprotodont Marsupials 

 Phascogale jJeniciUata, SminthojJsis larapinta, and S. crassiccmdata, 

 made from specimens kindly lent him for the purpose by Mr. H. 

 C. Beck, F.R.S., and remarked on the simplicity of the patterns 

 displayed by the intestinal tracts of these and other Dasyuridce 

 as contrasted with other Marsupials. 



The following pajjers were read :^ 



1. On the Origin o£ the Mammal-like Reptiles. By R. 

 Broom. D.Sc, C.M.Z.S., Victoria College, Stellenbosch^ 

 S. Africa. 



[Eeceived August 1, 1907.] 



(Text-figures 244-247.) 



A considerable amount of discussion has recently been given 

 to the question of the origin of Mammals, and so far from 

 a general agreement having been arrived at, men of science are 

 becoming moi-e definitely arranged into two groups — those who 

 believe that mammals are descended from Amphibia and those 

 who hold that they sprang from Rejitiles ; and to judge by the 

 reports of a recent Congress, the opposing opinions seem to be 

 held with a warmth reminiscent of a bygone age. At the 

 meeting of the British Association in South Africa in 1905 I 

 read a paper (1) endeavouring to show that the case for descent 

 of the mammal from a Cynodont reptile, or a closely allied form 

 was very strong, and that the main objection ui'ged against it 

 from the mode of development of Meckel's cartilage in the 

 mammal is of no weight, the condition of affairs being exactly 

 what we should expect from our knowledge of the Cynodonts. 

 In the present paper I wish to say little on the origin of 

 mammals, as the British Association paper has recently been 

 published, and there is little to add to it that is new ; but I 

 desire to call attention to some new discoveries that throw most 

 important light on the origin of the mammal-like reptiles. The 

 Anomodonts, the Cynodonts, and the Therocephalians are fairly 

 well known ; some of them even as well known as regards their 



