212 DR. R. BROOM ON THE [Mar. 21^ 



a half inches from the burr there is a second slight knee-bend. 

 These features appear to represent the brow and middle tyne in 

 a normal antler, and consequently this example corresponds in 

 forra to the third antler of the Red Deer in which the tynes have 

 been suppressed. From the dimensions and appearance of the 

 Portland specimen it may be regarded as being of the same indi- 

 vidual age as that from Moorfields, while the example from Ilford 

 is more probably the second antler with the brow-tyne suppressed. 



In these abnormal forms there has been but little increase of 

 weight or leverage iipon the pedicle, and this has consequently 

 found its earliest tendency to grow straightly upwards as an 

 elongated slender cylinder but little retarded. The difference 

 noted between the examples from Moorfields and Portland as 

 regards direction is such as one would expect to occur if the 

 physiological explanation suggested be the true one. 



It is probable that these specimens belonged to individuals 

 which had suffered injury to the testes at an early period of life, 

 which resulted in making the i^etention of yoiithful characters 

 possible for a longer period than is usually the case*. This view 

 appears to be supported, firstly, by the fact that the animals died 

 at a comparatively early age, their decease probably being due to 

 their physical inferiority ; secondly, by the rarity of the type, for 

 from what we know of the ease with which much slighter variations 

 in antlers are transmitted by heredity f, we should expect, had 

 the possessors of such antlers had the power of projjagating their 

 species, to find their representatives in some numbers ; and, lastly, 

 by the fact that the rugose surface of the antler in the Moorfields 

 specimen is greatly eroded and that in all the specimens there is 

 no regular bvirr, which seems to indicate that these antlers were 

 not shed annually as in sexvially perfect stags. 



In conclusion, I would express my best thanks to Dr. 0. W. 

 Andrews, F.G.S., Mr. E. T. Newton, F.R.S., Prof. C. Stewart, 

 F.R.S., Mr. R. H. Burne, F.Z.S., and Dr. Frank Corner, F.G.S., 

 for the valuable assistance which they have given me. 



4. On the Affinities of the Primitive Reptile Procoloplion. 

 By K. Beoom, M.D., B.Sc, C.M.Z.S., Victoria College, 

 Stellenboscb, Cape Colony. 



[Received January 23, 1905.] 



The afiinities of few fossil reptiles have given rise to more dis- 

 pute than those of Procolophon. When first described by 

 Owen (1) in 1876 it was placed in the Order Theriodontia. In 

 1878 Seeley (2), as the result of the examination of some fresh 

 material, regarded it as a "fossil Rhynchocephalian." In 1888 

 he (3) made it the type of a new suborder of the Anomodontia 



* Prof. G. Eolleston, 'Scientific Papers and Addresses,' vol. ii. p. 699. 

 t Sir Victor Brooke, P. Z. S. 1878, p. 892. 



