Palæontology as assisted by Embryology.

Palæontology of Vertebrates is becoming more and more a mor-
phological science, forming a branch of comparative Osteology, and
the best support for the phylogeny of vertebrates. There is an-
other morphological science, Embryology, which is also an eminent
support for the phylogeny.

Everybody knows to-day, that <u>Ontogeny</u> of an Organisme is a
<u>short recapitulation</u> of its <u>phylogeny</u>. This related to the skel-
ton of Vertebrates: Morphogeny of the skeleton is a short re-
capitulation of the skeleton of its ancestors. Conf. my paper:
On the tarsus of Birds and Dinosaurs.

It would be of the highest importance if Palæontology and
its sister-science, Embryology, would go hand in hand. I will give
an example: Dinosaurs are now generally considered as the ances-
tors of Birds; if this view is correct we must find in embryos of
Birds, especially the oldest birds, the Ratitæ, characters of the
Dinosauria. That this is really the case, I have proved in my
above cited paper.

Such a manner of working would fulfil all the claims of a
true *scientific* palæontology, and could be possible with rela-

2

tively few expenses.

2000# per annum would be sufficient for the constitution of
such a department of Palaeontology.

1500# must be paid to a man quite familiar with all embryological practicisme, and 500# for the laboratory and embryological material.

Such an institution would be the first in this kind and will
certainly find imitation.

15 Dec., '84.

Dr. G. Baur.