146 REPORT— 1876. 



among other fossil remains, lie discovered several fragments of bones of gigantic 

 Chelonians, one of whicli rivalled in dimensions any of the recent or extinct species 

 hitherto reported from the Mascarene and Galapagos Islands. The remains were 

 found in conjunction -with hones and teeth of the dwarf elephants and gigantic 

 dormice ; and whilst remains of the Prohoscidians and Rodents were extremely 

 abundant in certain rock-cavities he examined, and the Chelonians were also well 

 represented, it was a noteworthy fact that no traces of large Carnivora were met 

 with. This absence of the order, excepting the tooth of a small Cams, he supposed 

 accounted for the presence of the large helpless tortoises, as obtained also in the 

 Galapagos and Mascarene Islands. 



The largest of the Chelonians rivalled in dimensions the Testiido elephant opus 

 and Testiido ephippium, and showed some affinities with the latter, but was generally 

 distinguishable from any recorded species from these islands by a marked robustness 

 of the bones ; on which account he proposes to name it Testiido rohusta. A smaller 

 species, distinguishable also, morphologically, from the preceding, he proposes to 

 name after Admiral Spratt ; whilst a few bones of a small freshwater tortoise were 

 indistinguishable from the same parts of the Lvtremys et/ropera, which is still not 

 uncommon in the south of Europe and in certain islands of the Mediterranean. 



The author was inclined to believe that the Maltese-cavern fauna belonged to a 

 late Pliocene rather than a Pleistocene period, such as that exhibited by the Sicilian 

 caverns, to wit, the Caves of Palermo ; and that, although the Hippopotamus Pent- 

 landi and smaller forms are both represented in Malta, Sicily, and Crete, the absence 

 of traces of the dwarf elephants and gigantic dormouse in the two latter situations, 

 and the presence of the Hi/eena crocuta, Elephas aiitiquus, and large Felidee in Sicily, 

 seem to point to faunas of two diflerent epochs. Indeed, in the case of the Maltese 

 deposits, it would appear, in some instances at all events, that the animal remains 

 of the fissures had been derived from older beds which were broken up during the 

 submergence of the area. Eut as the Maltese rocks were Miocene and the upper- 

 most had been supposed to indicate the presence of Pliocene Invertebrata, it was 

 clear that the red soil and clay which formed the matrix in which the above animal 

 remains were found, in the rock rents, could not be more ancient than a later 

 Pliocene. 



He strongly advocated further explorations of the islands of the Mediten-anean 

 in quest of fossil remains, and stated that tliere was still much to be done in Malta. 



On the Arenaceous Foraminifera collected in the ^Valorous ' Expedition. 

 Bij Dr. W. i3. Caepextee, C.B., F.R.S. 



Further Researches on the Nervous System of Antedon rosaceus (Comatula 

 rosacea, Lamh.). Bij Dr. W. B. Caepextek, C.B., F.K.S. 



liemarJcs on the Anatomy of the Arms of the Crinoids. 

 By P. Heebebt Carpentee, B.A. 



On Delphinus albii'ostris. By D. J. Cunxingham, M.D. 



Experiments on the For,aation and Growth of Artificial Silica Cells, 

 By Prof. Feebixaxd Cohn. 



On Spontaneous Evolution and the Oerm TJteory. JS^.N. Caejiichael, M.D. 



