M. RANG ON THE ARGONAUT. 57 



With regard to the species to which the bones in the balls 

 have belonged, I have found the following kinds, and in about 

 the following proportions. Out of 1000 individuals, Mus la- 

 5^Mr^/s constitutes 800; Didelphis murmus, 100; EcJnmys 

 sulcidens, 50 ; small birds, 20 ; bats, 10 ; a smaller species of 

 Mus, which I consider to be Mus lasiotis, 10; and the re- 

 maining 10 are composed of the three other species of Echi- 

 mys, together with some young individuals of rabbit and Perea 

 in about equal proportions. Unconnected with this heap of 

 bones are frequently found the remains of the two larger spe- 

 cies of this family, — the Paca and the Gutia. The numer- 

 ous foot-prints of the first of these animals, which may be 

 observed in almost all the caves, prove that it is a constant 

 visitor at least ; and indeed, in some caverns, where their path 

 lay over narrow passes, I have seen the limestone quite po- 

 lished by their feet. 



Of the three other species of this family, the Kapivar, the 

 Sphiggurus and the squirrel, 1 have as yet discovered neither 

 traces nor remains. 



(To he continued). 



Art. II. — On the Genus Argonauta. By M. Rang* 

 ( Contifiued from page J 6). 



'Let us now turn to the consideration of a fact of more impor- 

 tance, and which, beyond contradiction, furnishes one of the 

 strongest arguments apparently at least in favour of parasitisifi. 

 M. de Blainville very ingeniously makes use of our disco- 

 very to corroborate the opinion that he advocates ; and it is 

 with that clearness which runs throughout his demonstrations, 

 that he here developes his views, which are undoubtedly very 

 likely to carry us along with him, but which, nevertheless, 

 rest upon an observation, respecting which we are somewhat 

 at variance, so that we do not find in this new argument all 

 the force which at the first glance it appears to possess. The 

 Professor, admitting our assertion that the poulp of the argo- 

 naut crawls vvith its tube above, that is to say, according to 

 his idea, with the ventral part uppermost, remarks that in this 

 respect the poulp completely differs from the ordinary Octopi 

 which he has obsers^ed upon the shores of Provence, and par- 

 ticularly from the Oct. moschatus. These Octopi, he says, 

 crawl by dragging themselves along the ground, but always 



