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Show 1892.] ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF OPHIUROIDS. 175 two species of Deer-Cariacus paludosus, frequenting the open marshy spots, and Cariacus simplicicornis, inhabiting the woods; and two Peccaries (Dicotyles torquatus and D. labiatus). Of Carmvora, the Jaguar was the most frequently seen ; the P u m a being equally abundant but less conspicuous, owing to its inhabiting the open campo. In the waters of the river near the mouth an Otter (Lutra paranensis) was abundant. As the expedition proceeded farther up the Pilcomayo, the channel became narrower, and a great fall in the level of the water taking place, progress became much obstructed. Still, however, the ' Bolivia' struggled to get onward, but eventually came to a full stop about 300 miles from the mouth of the river, in the midst of a parched and salt-saturated country, consisting almost entirely of open campo, in which animal and vegetable life of all kinds was marked by extreme poverty and lack of variety. The greater part of the men here deserted, the leader and the doctor both died ; and the remainder, numbering nine in all, after a detention of over four months, were ultimately rescued by a military search-party sent out by the Argentine Government. Mr. Kerr was compelled to leave the steamer ' Bolivia' in the Pilcomayo, and with it the greater part of his collections. The more portable portions-the bird-skins and the plants-were brought off on mule-back. The birds have been worked out, and an account of them has been published in the 'Ibis' for January 1892; while the Botanical collections are being investigated at Kew. In illustration of his remarks, Mr. Kerr exhibited a series of 14 views taken from his own negatives, representing the progress of the expedition, and the life of the district traversed by it. The following papers were read :- 1. A Contribution to the Classification of Ophiuroids, with Descriptions of some n e w and little-known Forms. By F. JEFFREY BELL, M.A., Sec. B.M.S. [Eeceived February 15, 1892.] (Plates XI. & XII.) I.' Tbe Calycinal Plates of a young Opbiuroid, p. 175. 2. The Classification of Ophiuroids, p. 176. 3. Account of Ophioteresis elegans, g. et sp. n., p. 178. 4. The Subdivisions of Ophiuroids, p. 179. 5. The Eelation of Ophioteresis to Fossil Forms, p. 182 6. The Eadial Shields of Ophiomaza obscura, p. 182. 7. Ophiobyrsa hyslricis, p. 183. 1. THE CALYCINAL PLATES OF A YOUNG OPHIURID. Among the valuable collections recently made by Messrs. J. J. Walker, R.N., and P. W. Bassett-Smith, R.N., of H.M.S.'Penguin'1, 1 Forwarded to the British Museum through the Hydrographer. 13* |