Zoology. 285 



together with Gryphea mutabilis and Terebratula Harlani, which are 

 also common to the cretaceous formation. And the fossil just described 

 was found in upper beds of the eocene ; so that the zeuglodon must 

 have existed through the whole of the eocene period ; a period which, 

 m South Carolina, was at least sufficiently long for the deposition of 

 three hundred feet of calcareous and sedimentary matter ; a fact 

 which was ascertained by boring at Charleston. 



2. The Beaver in Alabama; by Prof. R. T. Brumley, (from a letter 

 to the editors dated University of Alabama, May 26, 1847.)— DeKay was 

 eertamly wrong, as Mr. C. B. Buckley states, in assigning the northern 

 part of New York as the southern limit of the beaver. 



Animals of this species are not uncommon in Alabama. They have 

 been seen, recently, in several places ; and, in 1838, they were discov- 

 ered to be constructing a dam, &c. on Mr. Foster's plantation, ten miles 

 south of Tuscaloosa, and west of the river. At that place, they cut 

 down, in one night, a small tree ten inches in diameter, the stump of 

 which, containing beautifully distinct impressions of their teeth, is now 

 m the cabinet of this institution. They have not been disturbed, and 

 roay still be found there, though very wild. 



there is, in the zoological collection of this institution, a well pre- 

 served skin of one, which was obtained in Alabama by Mr. McMillan, 

 to 1831, while he was in the service of the University. 



oeayer dams are still visible in several parts of South Carolina, where 

 he animal was often seen in the early history of that state, and where, 

 ibeheve, it still exists. 



*• -Description of a new rapacious Bird in the Museum of the Acad- 



fy f Natural Sciences of Philadelphia; by John Cassin, (Proc. 



™. Nat. Sci. Philad., iii, 199, April, 1847.)— Cymindis Wilsonii, 



° b,s - 6 . Body above entirely dark brown, palest on the head, beneath 



Jte; every feather from chin to under tail coverts crossed by sev- 



bars of bright rufous chesnut, and these colors extending upwards 



n o a collar around the neck ; fourth, fifth and sixth primaries longest 



nd nearly equal, external webs nearly black, internal webs of outer 



P r, maries white at base and for nearly half their length, the remaining 



P art . re( Jdish inclining to chesnut, every primary (on its inner web) 



aviflg tvvo j rre g U | ar |y s haped black marks and tipped with black. 



edh ° f tlle Same color as the k ack but P aler ' white at base ' anc * cross " 

 b y about four broad bars which are nearly black, the second bar 



r °m the tip accompanied by a narrow rather indistinct bar of rufous ; 



P ot tail narrowly edged with white. Bill very large, (larger than in 



y other species of this genus,) yellowish white, inclining to blueish 



hor J color at base. 



ba a ^°^y a bove entirely slate color, palest on the head, beneath 

 J^ed with the same, the bars having a ferruginous tinge. 



* ot al length of mounted specimen, from tip of bill to end of tail, 

 11 ^ches. 



*«*• Island of Cuba, 

 he two specimens here described, were presented to the Academy 



Th e J eemed . me mber, Richard C; Taylor, Esq. 

 bird . * D *^ s s P ec ^ s is ver y ' ar g e m proportion to the size of the 



i and it agrees, moreover, tolerably well with the written descrip- 



