ON KEW OB, LITTLE- KNOWN COMATUL^. 487 



the men us.ed the blade of an old reaping-hook to knock the 

 Limpets off the rocks. However, we also discovered that, failing 

 an instrument of that kind, they then took an oblong-shaped 

 stone from the beach. The second day of our excavations at 

 Caisteal-nan-Grillean we were puzzling ourselves as to what could 

 be the use of the numerous oblong stones we met with among the 

 shells, and mentioned the matter to our workman, who was accus- 

 tomed to go to the fishing, and he seemed, just as a matter of course, 

 to inform us that they were limpet-hammers. He assured us 

 that he and his fisher-mates often took such stones from the 

 beach when proceeding on a trip, and would retain the stone for 

 collecting bait until the end of their fishing, when they would 

 throw it away. Subsequent inquiries have only helped to con- 

 firm us in the opinion that the large oblong stones found at 

 Caisteal-nan-Grillean are really limpet-hammers. We understand 

 that similar stones have been found in the ancient kitchen- 

 middens of other localities, and have proved a puzzle to antiqua- 

 rians ; but we think what we have stated will be found to be the 

 real solution of the mystery. 



DESOEIPTION OF PLATE IX. 



All the bones are drawn of natural size. 



Figs. 1-5. Dorsal vertebra shown in its different faces: — 1, side view; 2, from 



above ; 3, from below ; 4, in front ; 5, from behind. 

 Figs. 6-8. The entire left coracoid in three aspects : — 6, exterior ; 7, interior ; 



8, its antero-inner edge. 

 Fig. 9- Upper moiety of right coi-acoid, viewed from the front and inside. 

 Figs. 10-14. Different views of the right humerus : — 10, posterior surface ; 



11, anterior surface; 12, external front edge; 13, superior condyloid 



extremity ; 14, inferior condyloid extremity. 

 I'ig. 15. Distal segment of left humerus. 

 Figs. 16-19. Different views of the distal end of the right tibia : — 16, interior ; 



17, posterior ; 18, anterior ; and 19, the inferior face. 



Descriptions of new or little -known Comatulce. — I. & II. 

 By P. Heebeet Caepentee, M.A., Assistant Master at 

 Eton College. (Communicated by Dr, W. B. Caepentee, 

 C.B., F.E.S., E.L.S.) 



[Bead June 1, 1882.] 



The two following articles are the commencement of a series which 

 I propose to offer to the Society from time to time, containing 

 descriptions of Comatulas that are either entirely new or but little 

 known to zoologists. In all the principal museums of the Conti- 



