~ 680 General Notes. [ October, 
of Kansas and Nebraska are based on fragments of horn cores. These 
indicate animals much larger than the existing species, but smaller than 
the large extinct Bison latifrons: Another interesting type of mammal 
combines some of the features of the ungulates with others of the 
rodents, to which latter it is evidently related. The species (Allomys 
nitens) is founded on remains from the Upper Miocene of Oregon, and is 
regarded as representing a distinct family, Allomyide. A new bird of 
the size of a small duck is characterized from remains from the Creta- 
- ceous of Texas. 
z GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION. 
EXPLORATION IN Paracoxia.— Don F. P. Moreno has recently 
made an exploration from Santa Cruz Bay, by way of the Santa Cruz 
River, northward across the high interior of Patagonia, the so-called 
“Plains of Mystery” of Admiral Fitz Roy, to the base of the Cor- 
dilleras. He explored the lake, which had never before been sailed upon, 
forming the source of the Santa Cruz, and crossed the tertiary table- 
lands to the northward. These plains have an altitude of two thou- 
sand five hundred to three thousand feet, with summits capped with 
basalt. To the westward and northward he met with a chain of small 
lakes inclosed by excellent pasture, and later reached an unknown 
_lake of considerable dimensions, named by him Lago San Martin. The 
lake is surrounded with snow-capped mountains, which are wooded on 
the sides and rise to a height of three thousand to five thousand feet. 
He also visited the so-called Viedma Lake, and made collections of fos- 
sils from the plains. On a portion of the shores of the lake from which 
the Santa Cruz takes its rise was discovered an ancient habitation of 
some of the primitive people of Patagonia. A detailed report of his ex- 
pedition is promised. 
Heieuts 1N tHE Bortvian Anpes.— According to the Geogr aph- 
ical Magazine, Mr. Minchin, the civil engineer who has been doing such 
useful geographical work in Bolivia, has determined, from the results © 
his leveling for the railways between La Paz and Lake Titicaca, the 
height of the peak of Illimani to be 22,224 feet, which he thinks azs 
not vary more than ten feet from its true height. It is hence about 17 
feet lower than the elevation given by the most trustworthy ment 
ments for the peak of Aconcagua in Chili, believed to be the ba 
point of the Andes. Mr. Minchin gives the height of Lake Titicaca “i 
12,545 feet, or 245 feet less than Pentland’s height, based on bori 
measurement. The height of Alto de la Paz is given as 13,389 tee 
and that of Plaza Mayor, La Paz, as 11,946 feet. 
GroGrapuicaL News. — Mr. F. A. Edwards has pu 
Gentleman’s Magazine for August, a paper on Colonel Go 
dition to the Upper Nile Région, illustrated by a sketch map- a 
Geographical Magazine for August contains a sketch map of he 
blished, in the 
rdon’s Expe- 
The 
