398 Miscellaneous . 



The remains of JEpyornis, which M. Grandidier found mixed with 

 these hones of Hippopotamus, consist of a fragment of an egg, a tibia 

 64 centimetres in length*, several fragments of still greater dimen- 

 sions, a femur, and several vertebrae. The femur is remarkably robust ; 

 its diameter, measured at the narrowest point of the diaphysis, is 

 equal to more than one-fourth of the length of the bonef . It is very 

 probable that a profound study of these specimens will throw much 

 light upon the natural affinities of the gigantic bird from which they 

 are derived — a subject for the investigation of which materials have 

 hitherto been wanting. 



The same deposit contained other bones of birds, as well as various 

 parts of the skeleton of a land-tortoise, which M. Grandidier regards 

 as constituting a new species, and which he designates under the 

 name of Testudo abrupta. This traveller has also found remains of 

 crocodiles ; and he is led to believe that all these animals were con- 

 temporaneous with the Dodo of the island of Mauritius. 



These discoveries, so interesting as regards both geographical 

 zoology and palaeontology, are not the only results obtained by M. 

 Grandidier since his return to Madagascar. He has found three new 

 species of Lemuridse, to which he has given the names of Chirogcdus 

 Samati, C. glirotdes, and G. adipicaudatus, and a new species of 

 tortoise (Testudo desertorum). Lastly, he has discovered, in sandy 

 beds at Etsere, a magnificent carapace of an Emys (E. gigantea, A. 

 Grand.), measuring 132 centimetres in length and 139 centimetres 

 in width, besides several parts of the same animal. — ComptesRendus, 

 December 14, 1S68, tome lxvii. pp. 1165-1167. 



On the Miocene Alcyonaria of Algeria. By A. Pomel. 



The author states that the Miocene strata of Algeria contain the 

 remains of examples of the three chief types of Gorgonidae, Corattium, 

 Isis, and Gorgonia. Of the former, many fragments occur which are 

 undistinguishable from the Corattium rubrnm of the neighbouring 

 coast. Allied to this is a new generic type described as Stolonia 

 saheliensis. It has a stony, creeping, stoloniform sclerobase ; in 

 other words, it is a Cornularia with the sclerobase of Corattium. 

 The calyces, forming pits with a nearly smooth bottom near the ra- 

 mifications of the stolons, have left traces of their eight gastric cham- 

 bers as deep sinuses, separated by ridges indicating the origin of the 



* M. Grandidier adds that the two condyles of the hone are not very pro- 

 minent and are separated by a rather shallow groove, and that the crests of 

 the antero-superior tuberosity are tolerably prominent. Length measured 

 from the antero-superior tuberosity to the outer condyle 64 centimetres ; 

 minimum circumference 16 centimetres ; length of the inferior extremity 

 13 centimetres. 



t The upper extremity of this femur is partially broken ; the air pene- 

 trates into it by an orifice situated above the condyles. Length from the 

 head of the bone to the outer condyle 20 centimetres; minimum circum- 

 ference 27£ centimetres; length of the inferior extremity 19 centi- 

 metres. 



