284 Miscellaneous, 



prove simply this, viz. that the Edentata are allied to the Reptiles, 

 and that more nearly than to Birds. 



It would have been absurd to expect any other result from this 

 investigation than such as the present : a group is never related to 

 one other group only : " The true affinities of organic structures 

 branch out irregularly in all directions/' 



I cannot conclude without observing, that it is highly remarkable 

 and interesting that affinities should be found to prevail amongst 

 creatures often remotely situated one from the other in the Animal 

 Kingdom ; that these relations often appear subtle and irrespective 

 of functional similarity ; and that whilst their final cause will pro- 

 bably ever remain unknown to man, we cannot consider them with- 

 out deeply appreciating the order, the unity and dependence which 

 prevail throughout all parts of nature. Edw. Fry. 



MISCELLANEOUS, 



A new genus of Sea- Snake from Port Essington. 

 By J. E, Gray, F.R.S. 



The snake here described formed part of the extensive collection 

 brought home by Mr. Jukes, the naturalist to H.M.S. Fly. It is re- 

 markable as having the compressed shape, the short blunt head, the 

 peculiar lunate valvular nostrils on the upper surface of the nose, the 

 small superior eyes, the head-shields and the compressed tail of 

 Hydrus, but differs from it in having large polished smooth keelless 

 scales, and the broad band-like ventral shields of the vermiform ter- 

 restrial snakes {Elaphina). In this ipjjpecj^t agrees with the genus 

 Aipisurus, but it is at once distinguished from that genus by the 

 ventral shields being broader in proportion and acutely keeled along 

 the middle line, and by having the head-shields of Hydrus ; in fact 

 it is exactly intermediate between the genus Hydrus of HydridcE and 

 Aipisurus of Elaphina in Colubrida. It may be called Hypotropis. 



Scales large, smooth, six-sided ; head short, truncated in front ; 

 nasal large, with the lunate nostrils in the middle of their hinder 

 part ; crown shields small, superciliary numerous, labial shield high,, 

 loreal none ,- throat scaly ; ventral shields broad, band-like, folded 

 together and keeled in the middle, notched behind at the keel ; tail 

 compressed, covered with large broad six-sided smooth scales. 



Hypotropis Jukesii. Olive, yellowish below. 



Hab. Sea, near Darnley Islands. " Merad sand-bank, while at 

 anchor, May 1845." 



On the Fulmo grade Medusa of the British Seas. 

 By Prof. E. Forbrs*. 



At the Birmingham Meeting in 1839, the author, in conjunction 

 with Prof. Goodsir, brought forward a first essay towards an inves- 

 tigation of the British Acalephse, selecting the ciliograde species for 

 illustration. Since that time he has yearly availed himself of every 

 opportunity of pursuing the inquiry, but has abstained from publish- 

 * Read at the Southampton Meeting of the British Association. 



