370 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. XLIX 



sphere, as a microsaur. The distinction between these 

 two groups is clear, the former undoubtedly being ances- 

 tral to the modern Caudata and the latter having reptilian 

 affinities. Likewise the author refers to Lysorophus* 

 as a reptile, while the majority of paleontologists regard 

 the form as Amphibian; Williston 1 even going so far as 

 to locate it in the suborder Ichthyoidea of the Caudata. 

 In conclusion Doctor Broili says : 



Im ubrigen haben wir im Laufe der letzten 10 Jahre iiber die altesten 

 Tetrapoden so viel neues und wichtiges kennen gelernt, wie wohl in 

 relativ keinem anderen Zweige der Wirbeltierpalaontologife. . . . 



Broom (3) has given the results of his studies on Per- 

 mian vertebrates in the American Museum. His reason 

 for again describing and studying this much described 

 and much studied material is that structural characters 

 are difficult to determine in these forms on account of the 

 very closely adherent matrix which has in many cases ob- 

 scured all sutures in the skull. His discussion is accom- 

 panied by restorations of the skulls of the chief Permian 

 genera, indicating most of the sutures, something which 

 Cope was unable to do. He discusses some elements in 

 the mandible not previously observed among Amphibia 

 and suggests homologies between them and elements of 

 the reptilian mandible. Unfortunately, Broom has paid 

 no attention to the occurrence of lateral line canals on the 

 skulls of these forms. It is highly important that this 

 system of sense organs be distinctly understood. In view 

 of Herrick's studies 2 on this structure in the catfish it is 

 certain that this system of sensory organs has a distinct 

 influence on the location of the peripheral osseous ele- 

 ments of the skull and mandible. I do not recall that 

 Herrick's result have been noted by any paleontologist, 

 but they should be taken into consideration. Broom says 

 in regard to Eryops, the large Permian stegocephalian : 



He criticizes Huene's (1913 b) work on the brain-case, 

 however, and makes no statement concerning the lateral 



i Biol. Bull, Vol. XV, No. 5, p. 229, 1908. 



