48 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 



REMAINS OF TWO SPECIES OF CAPROMYS FROM ANCIENT 

 BURIAL SITES IN JAMAICA. 



While the indigenous Antillean rodents of the genus Capromys are 

 represented by several species in Cuba, only one, C. hrownii Fischer, has 

 hitherto been found in Jamaica. Two distinct members of the genus 

 are each represented by a toothless mandible and two femurs taken from 

 ancient burial sites near Salt River, Jamaica, by R. C. McCormack and 

 now in the U. S. National Museum. One of these is identical with the 

 known living Jamaican species. The other, differing from Capromys 

 hrownii in conspicuously smaller size (greatest length of femur without 

 epiphysis about 56 mm. instead of about 68 mm., lower toothrow 16. -4 

 instead of 19.4) and in the obviously reduced condition of the third 

 lower molar, I am unable to distinguish from C. thoracaius (True) of 

 Little Swan Island. Whether ornot this apparent identity is due merely 

 to the incompleteness of the individuals represented by the Jamaican 

 specimens, and what such identity might mean should it ever be proved 

 to exist, are questions that can not now be answered; but in any event 

 the discovery of these smaller bones in Jamaica is an interesting fact. 



— Gerrit S. Miller, Jr. 



THE FIRST NEW ZEALAND CRINOID. 



Prof. AVilliam B. Benham, of the University of Otago, Dunedin, New 

 Zealand, has been so kind as to submit to me for determination the first 

 crinoid ever discovered in New Zealand waters. 



It was collected by Mr. Percy Seymour from a row-boat in about 15-20 

 feet of water at Preservation Inlet on the west coast of the South (or 

 Middle) Island. Three specimens in all were secured. 



Of the fauna of Preservation Inlet Professor Benham writes: " From 

 the same locality some Hydrocorallines and Antipatharians were ob- 

 tained, and a Pennatulid, all of which are 'Australian ' in their affinities. 

 The fauna of the west coast of New Zealand is little known, but it differs 

 considerably from that of the east, south, or north coasts of the island. 

 The west coast is difficult to get at and is only sparsely inhabited, and 

 few of us naturalists have been able to collect there except very superfi- 

 cially and sporadically, as boats only visit Preservation Inlet very irregu- 

 larly, and once there one never knows how long one might be compelled 

 to stay, as there is no road across the forest clad mountains." 



It is interesting to note that this crinoid belongs to a species charac- 

 teristic of, and confined to, southern and southeastern Australia and 

 Tasmania, Comanthus (Cenolia} trichoptera (J. Miiller).* 



The twenty-eight arms of the specimen sent by Professor Benham are 

 115 mm. long; the centrodorsal is large, thick-discoidal, the dorsal pole 

 broad and flat, with the centre depressed ; the cirri are XL-L, 24-27 

 (usually 26-27), 22 mm. to 25 mm. long. 



The relatively long cirri, which are composed of more immerous seg- 

 ments than the cirri of the typical form, would appear to indicate that 

 this specimen represents a recognizable variety, probably peculiar to 

 New Zealand, for which I propose the name Comanthus trichojdera 

 benhami. The type specimen is the property of the University of Otago. 



— Austin H. Clark. 



* See " Recent Crinoids of Australia," Sydney, 1911, p. 755. 



