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Show 594 MR. G. F. ANGAS ON THE TERRESTRIAL [Dec 4, An examination of the New-Brighton skeleton as a whole shows, in the first instance, that it closely resembles in all its principal characteristics that described and figured by Dr. Hector in the Transactions of the New-Zealand Institute, with tbe exception that it has 62 vertebrae instead of 64 as in the Wellington skeleton. It is, however, possible that there may be some mistake in the number of caudal vertebrae of the latter. I have looked carefully over the description of the different species of Balanoptera accessible to me, and find only one, B. sibbaldi, possessing 64 vertebrae, but there are 16 dorsals, or one more than in Dr. Hector's specimen. Till a specimen of this New-Zealand species is obtained, of which tbe external form can be exactly ascertained, I do not wish to pronounce a decided opinion as to the specific position of Balanoptera australis. However, judging from the evidence before us, the skeleton under review resembles so closely in all its osteological peculiarities that of B. musculus, that it would be a most remarkable tact if both did not belong to the same species. 7. O n the Terrestrial Mollusca of Dominica, collected during a recent visit to that Island. By G E O R G E F R E N C H ANGAS, F.L.S., C. M . Z. S. [Received November 20, 1883.] The island of Dominica, lying almost midway between Martinique and Guadaloupe, in about 15° north latitude, is the most lofty of the Lesser Antilles, some of its peaks rising to an altitude of over 5000 feet. It is of volcanic formation, and densely wooded, two thirds of the island being still covered by primaeval forest. The rainfall averages over 70 inches in the year. I was certainly disappointed in finding the number of genera and species of Land-shells so limited, and the forms so small, as, from the favourable conditions of the island for molluscan life, I should have expected a richer harvest. I give below a list of the species collected by myself during a two months' visit to this beautiful island, being only some 20 in all. INOPERCULATA. SUBULINA (STENOGYRA) OCTONA, Chemn. Common in most localities, under stones and decayed leaves. This species appears to have an extended range amongst the West- India islands, reaching to Mexico and Costa Rica. ZONITES CONCOLOR, Fe'russac,= H. baudoni, Petit. Not common, at an altitude of 2000 ft. This species is said to occur also in Porto Rico. |
