72 The American Naturalist. [January, 
Reptilia.—Mr. Edgar R. Waite has commenced an investigation 
of the Australian Typhlopide. In his first paper upon the subject he 4 
describes a new species T. proximus, notes thas T. curtus Ogilby must 
be referred to T. ligatus Peters, and decides that T. ruppelli, which is 
generally considered identical with T. vigrescens Gray, has a distinct 
specific rank. (Records Austr. Mus., Vol. II, No. 5, 1893). 
Mammialia.—An experiment recently conducted by a captain ofa — 
vessel, assisted by a naturalist who happened to be on board, shows the 
traction power of a whale 23 meters long, and weighing about 70 tons, 
to be close to 145 horse power. However under the conditions im 
which the experiment was performed it is more than probable that the 
animal did not exert its full strength. The whale might become of use 
to the man as a working factor, but it can never be depended upon a ~ 
is the elephant for example. a 
Among the mammals recently collected by Dr. W. L. Abbott, in the 2 
islands north of Madagascar, are two specimens of an interesting new 
species of Pteropus from Aldabra Island. They are described by Mr. 
F. W. True in the Proceeds, Nat. Mus., Vol. XVI, under the name — 
Pteropus aldabrensis. ; 
Chapman describes Oryzomys palustris natator from North Carolina 
Flori is gi 
collection of mammals from Trinidad. 65 species are enumerated aS 
constituting the fauna of theisland, of which the following are new :— 
Cheronycteris intermedia, Nectomys planipes, Tylomys couesii, Oryzomys 
speciosus, O. trinitatis, O. velutinus, O. brevicauda, Loncheres castaneus 
and Echimys trinitatis. 
