1896.) Geology and Paieontology. 745 
A number of drawings of different views of the three specimens 
described accompany the paper. (Proceeds. U. S. Natl. Mus., Vol. 
X VIII, No. 1086, 1896.) 
Is Palzospondylus a Mansipobranch ?—In a collection of 
fossil fishes belonging to Columbia College, Mr. Bashford Dean has 
found a specimen of Palseospondylus presenting structural details which 
decidedly oppose the hitherto accepted view that Paleospondylus is a 
paleozoic lamprey. Mr. Dean figures the specimen in question, and 
presents the positive and negative evidence as to its marsipobranchian 
affinity. From this summarized statement it is seen that the cranium, 
vertebral column and paired fins do not bear out the theory ; the caudal 
fin is essentially marsipobranchian, but its diphycercal, or, perhaps, 
heterocercal condition, is also common to many groups, shark, lung fish, 
and teleostome. The only characteristic which Palseospondylus retains 
allying it with the Cyclostomes is the presence of tentacles in the ante- 
rior head region. The author suggests that in the presence of so much 
negative evidence the head-tentacles can hardly be taken as a crucial 
test of kinship, since it is quite possible for these structures to have 
arisen independently within the group to which Palzospondylus belongs.. 
(Trans. N. Y. Acad. Sci., Vol. XV.) 
The Skeleton of Aepyornis.—A small collection of remains of 
the extinct birds of the genus Aepyornis, obtained from central Mada- 
gascar, has been sent tọ England by Dr. Forsyth-Major. The speci- 
mens include portions of two skulls, two imperfect mandibles, some 
coraco-scapulæ, a nearly perfect sternum, and some small bones sup- 
posed to be rudimentary humeri.- A detailed description of these bones 
is given in a recent number of The Ibis by Mr. Charles W. Andrews. 
Of the skull he remarks that “ in several respects A ache 
the Dinornithidæ in the structure of the skull. Among the) points of 
resemblance are the pedunculate occipital condyle, the prominent basi- 
temporal platform, the open Eustachian groove, the structure of the 
facet for the quadrate, and the presence of the frontal crest of large 
feathers (as in some of the Dinornithide).” 
The sternum is “ ratite,” and in Apteryx is found the closest resem- 
blance to Aepyornis. According to the author the fossil sternum ap- 
pears to lack a metasternal region, and consists of the two primitive 
costosternal elements only. In this respect it corresponds to an em- 
bryonic stage in the development of the sternum in the recent Ratite. 
The coracoscapula is typically Struthious in form. It similarity to 
that of Casuarius gives support to Milne-Edwards and Grandidier’s 
52 x 
