supposed to have foundered at sea, was Dr. E. L. Moss, a good observer of nature, who contributed some excellent papers on marine animals to the publications of English scientific societies, and withal was an excellent artist. Augustin Seguin and Jules Luquet, two eminent civil engineers from Lyon, France, are now visiting the Yellowstone National Park. Within two years a railroad will be completed which will render this park very accessible. - A list of preparations of Phylloxera, its natural enemies and of other insects living on the vine, has been published by Dr. Adolph Blankenhorn, of Karlsruhe. The Italian Government has recently made the liberal appropriation of 1,000,000 lire for a Geological Survey of Italy. :0: PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, Philadelphia, March 16.-Mr. J. A. Ryder described Trichopetalum lunatum, and spoke on Podophrys and Epistylus; he also described Camaraphysema obscura. Mr. Potts spoke on Vorticella. March 23.-Dr. H. C. Chapman remarked on the generative apparatus of Elephas. Mr. Ryder described a new order of myriapods, Symphyla. March 30.-Mr. Ryder spoke farther on Symphyla. Mr. Meehan on advancement of vegetation. Dr. H. Allen on the olfactory sense in mammals. Mr. Ryder on Epistylis. Mr. Potts on Vorticella. April 13.-Dr. Jos. Leidy remarked on Entomostracans and Infusoria in ponds near Woodbury, N. J. Mr. Meehan on Sarcodes. April 20.-Mr. J. S. Kingsley spoke on cell division. April 27.--Mr. H. C. McCook remarked on honey ants. Mr. Jos. Willcox on the habits of the blue heron. Mr. Isaac May 4-Mr. McCook remarked on honey ants. Martindale on parasitic plants. Mr. Potts on Spongilla. May 11.-Prof. Pike spoke on fossil impressions supposed to have been made by jelly fishes. Mr. Ford on eggs of mollusks. May 18.-Dr. Chapman spoke on the anatomy of the orangoutang. Messrs. Ford and Potts on the nidus of Natica. May 25.-Dr. A. J. Parker spoke on the brain of the chimpanzee. Prof. June 1.-Mr. J. A. Ryder described a species of Japyx. S. S. Haldeman spoke on stone implements. Mr. Edw. Potts remarked on the embryo of Natica. June 8.-Dr. Francis Dercum spoke on the lateral lines in fishes. Mr. E. Potts on the anatomy of pipe fish. June 29.-Dr. Allen on Bunodont teeth. Dr. Foote on caverns near Louray, Va. July 27.—Mr. Edw. Potts made some remarks on sponges. August 3.-Mr. Potts on larva of flies. Mr. Meehan spoke on "sleep of plants." September 7.-Dr. Herman Evarts spoke on Infusoria. Dr. Foote on a large specimen of Sphene. Mr. Potts on Plumatella. September 14.-Dr. Evarts spoke on Infusoria and described Freia cærulea. Mr. Meehan on the limit of vegetation in the Rocky mountains. Mr. Potts on tubers. Mr. Meehan on nest ing of birds. September 21.-Dr. Leidy spoke on organic remains discovered in Hartman's cave. Prof. Porter on organic life and vegetation. Mr. Meehan on dimorphism in plants. The following papers have been presented for publication: March 16.-" Carcinological Notes, No. Iv," by J. S. Kingsley. March 23." On the Gestation and Generative Apparatus of the Elephant," by Dr. H. C. Chapman. "On a new species of Hemitripterus from Alaska," by W. N. Lockington. April 13. — Description of a new species of Catostomus (C. cypho) from the Colorado river," by W. N. Lockington. May 18.-"On the Structure of the Orang-outang," by Dr. H. C. Chapman. June I.-"Description of a Partula, supposed to be new, from the Island of Moorea," by W. D. Hartmann, M.D. June 8.-“ On the development of Lemna minor," by Wm. Barbeck. June 15. -"A bibliographical catalogue of the genus Partula, with observations on the species," by W. D. Hartmann, M.D. August 17. -"Rhizopods in the mosses of the summit of Roan mountain, N. C.," by Jos. Leidy, M.D. :0: SELECTED ARTICLES IN SCIENTIFIC SERIALS. Zeitschrift fuR WISSENSCHAFTliche Zoologie.—July 30. On a peculiar formation of the dorsal vessel in some Ephemerid larvæ, by O. Zimmermann. Contributions to a knowledge of the Gephyrea, by J. W. Spengel. THE GEOLOGICAL MAGAZINE.-September. Oceans and Continents, by T. M. Reade. The mammoth in Siberia, by H. H. Howorth. JENAISCHE ZEITSCHRIFT FUR NATURWISSENSCHAFT.-August 15. On the structure of the Ctenophora, by R. Hertwig (an elaborate histological essay with six plates). On the doctrine of cell structure, by C. Frommann. ANNALES DES SCIENCES NATURELLES.-June, July. Anatomical researches on the Bullidæ, by M. Vayssière (an elaborate and well illustrated treatise on these mollusks). THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. VOL. XIV. DECEMBER, 1880.- No. 12. IN ON THE EXTINCT CATS OF AMERICA. BY E. D. COPE. following the general series of the Carnivora, we pass, as in other orders, from the generalized to the specialized types. That we should begin with the Procyonida (raccoons) and their allies, is indicated by all the characters to be especially considered in the case. They have five toes on all the feet and are plantigrade, resembling in these points all primitive Mammalia.1 They have the original number of molar teeth, seven on each side, and of these none are distinctly developed sectorials. The condyloid and carotid foramina are distinct, and there is a postglenoid foramen. If, starting from this point of departure, we arrange the succeeding families of Carnivora according to their resemblances and differences in these respects, we have a tolerably consecutive series of divisions. Passing at present over the families Mustelida, Viverrida, Cryptoproctide and others, with five toes on all the feet, we reach those in which the hind foot has lost a digit, leaving the number 5—4. These are the Protelida, Canida and Felida. We can take but one step further in this order, that is, to those species where the anterior foot has also lost a toe, which constitute the family Hyænida. The toes are therefore here 4-4. For the wellmarked characters of the three families mentioned just before, I refer to another page, and proceed to define, briefly, the division which has been heretofore termed the Felida. In doing so I am compelled to omit several of the characters generally employed 1 See Homologies and Origin of Types of Molar Teeth of Mammalia educabilia. Journal Academy Phila., 1874, March. |