African and S.- American Otters. 391 



lambdoirl crests well-marked, and, owing to the shape ot" 

 the brain-case, surpassing behind the back of the condyles. 

 Mastoid flanges not excessively developed. Nasal opening 

 small, its proportions about as in annectens. Biillai rising to 

 a high and rather narrower ridge than in annectens. Teeth 

 about as in that s|Decies. 



Skull-measurements (adult male) : condylo-basal length 

 110 mm.; basal length 101 ; zygomatic breadth 77*5; mas- 

 toid Ijreadth 71 ; inferorbital breadth 2'1''6 ; brain-case, 

 breadth Gi ; height from between bullae to crown 4:1 ; palatal 

 lejigth 49; antero-posterior diameter o£ j/ lO'l; greatest 

 diagonal diameter of w' 11"4. 



I/ah. Merida, Venezuela. Type from the Rio Chama at 

 2000 m. altitude. 



Ti/pe. Adult male. Collected 13th August, 1007, by 

 S. Briceno. Two specimens examined. 



This species is readily distinguishable from all the members 

 of the group by its high rounded brain-case, and from the 

 two which share the structure of its nose-pad by its markedly 

 smaller size. 



3. Lutra provocaa;, sp. n. 



Nose-pad as in annectens, therefore markedly different 

 from that of the geographically nearer L. platensis. 



Skull about as large as in annectens, its frontal region 

 particularly flat and the upper profile comparatively straight. 

 Nasal opening, owing to the flattening of the muzzle, broader 

 in proportion to its height, its breadth more than its internal 

 height-length diameter. Sagittal crest little developed, and 

 the lambdoid not projected far back. Bullaj rather small. 

 Teeth of medium strength, the inner lobe of ;:>■* not excessively 

 large, but touching the front of m^ owing to a projection at 

 its postero-external border. 



Skull-dimensions of type (old male) : condylo-basal length 

 115 mm.; basal length 106; zygomatic breadth 78-5; 

 mastoid breadth 1-i; interorbital breadth 2b; brain-case, 

 breadth 58, height 38 ; palatal length 56 ; antero-posterior 

 diameter of ^/ 11'? ; greatest diagonal diameter of )u' 13-5. 



A female skull has condylu-basal length lOU mm. ; mastoid 

 breadth 74; ;>M01. 



Hah. Southern C!hili and Patagonia. Type from south 

 of Lake Nahuel lluapi, Patagonia. Other specimens from 

 Temuco, S. Chili [Bullock), and Magellan Straits (Voyages 

 of ll.M.SS. ' Challenger' and 'Alert,' and of Lord Crawford's 

 yacht the 'Valhalla'). 



Type. Old male. B.M. no. 3. 11 . 5. 14. Collected during 



2(j* 



