1028 The American Naturalist. [ December, 
As regards the systematic position of Patriofelis, Wortman says: 
* [ts general skeletal structure is so much like Oxyzena, that notwith- 
standing the differences in the teeth they must be placed in the same 
family. Oxysena is the older form and has the more primitive dentition 
but the differences are not greater than we would lead to anticipate in 
the ancestral genus. I think that it can be aecepted as demonstrated 
that Patriofelis is the direct descendent of Oxyzna, which may likewise 
have given off a branch which terminated in the modern seals. It is 
somewhat doubtful whether this branch leads through Patriofelis.” 
Concerning the habits of the Patriofelis, Wortman remarks: “ From 
the structure of the limbs more than any other feature, I am led to 
conclude that it was aquatic or semiaquatic in its habits. The broad, 
flat plantigrade feet with their spreading toes suggest at the first 
glance their use for swimming. The eversion of the feet, together with 
the general clumsiness of the limbs, point, moreover, to the fact that 
the animal was not an active runner. Now, if the animal was aquatic, 
what was the nature of its food? It certainly could not have been 
fish, for the reason that the remains of fishes are very scarce in the 
Bridger sediments. If, however, we can form any judgment from their 
remains, the Bridger lake literally swarmed with turtles, and if Patrio- 
felis frequented the water, it is highly probable that they formed a 
staple article of its diet.” 
Through the kindness of the American Museum authorities, we are 
able to give a figure of the restoration of the P. feroz (Plate XXXIII) 
which accompanies Dr. Wortman’s article. 
Geological News. Crnozortc—The fossil flora collection from 
Herendeen Bay, Alaska, embraces 115 forms. These forms, according to 
Prof. Knowlton, are so closely related to those of Greenland, Spitz- 
bergen and the Island of Sachalin that without doubt they grew under 
similar conditions and were synchronously deposited. The author 
agrees with Sir Wm. Dawson in regarding these floras of Eocene age 
rather that Miocene to which they have hitherto been referred. (Bull. 
Geol. Soc. Am., Vol. 5, 1893). 
Prof. O. C. Marsh has recently given a brief description of a pha- 
lange of a large bird which was found in the Eocene of New Jersey. 
This is an interesting discovery. Unfortunately Prof. Marsh gives it 
a new specific and even a new generic name. As neither species nor 
genus can be recognized from a phalange, these names constitute an 
unnecessary addition to the waste basket of scientific literature. 
