series of more than a dozen kinds of hagfishes and lampreys, a race of fishes standing near the base of the genealogical tree of the back-boned animals. In one instance there is represented a hagfish attached to a trawl line, coiled tightly about it, and secreting a great mass of slime characteristic of these primitive "eels." A number of shark models have been prepared, including characteristic examples, like the frilled shark of Japan (which, by the way, is the only living type of a family of vertebrates dating from the Coal Age); or the curious long-nosed shark, Scapanorhynchus, long known from the chalk epoch and lately found living in the deep waters off Japan. Among lungfishes we have now examples of all surviving forms, including a good model of the South American Lepidosiren, which breathes both by lungs and by gills. The particular specimen modeled was collected during the breeding season, when it develops a great number of hairlike processes from its hinder fins. These are blood-red in color and serve, it appears, to aërate the mass of eggs around which the fish coils. The rare and curious "ghost fishes" or chimæroids, important in the history of fishes, are now well represented in the gallery. We believe that hitherto no member of this group has been represented adequately in a museum gallery, if for no other reason than that they have rarely been seen in fresh condition by naturalists. Of the ancient group of ganoids an important case The skin of the fish is placed in the plaster jacket and pressed into place by a filling FOSSIL FIELDS OF MEXICO 177 has now been prepared. Especially noteworthy is the Chinese spoonbill sturgeon, Psephurus gladius, now for the first time modeled. Of the American spoonbill, Polyodon spathula, which is rapidly being exterminated by the caviare fishermen, a habitat group has recently been placed on view. It represents a school of these large fishes swinging around into the seine of the fisherman; another ganoid, the garpike, appears at the left poised high in characteristic position, while below are catfish, carps, perches, herrings and drumfish-giving a comprehensive picture of the fish life of the lower Mississippi. This group is one of the results of the Dodge expedition of two years ago. A DISCOVERY IN THE FOSSIL FIELDS OF MEXICO By Barnum Brown HE state of Jalisco, Mexico, is traversed north and south by low ranges of mountains interrupted at intervals by short rivers that flow into the Pacific. One of these, the Ameca, rises about fifteen kilometers west of Guadalajara in a valley at first open but shut in farther on by low mountains. During Pleistocene times the outlet of this valley was blocked long enough to allow a shallow lake to be formed in which sediments collected and the remains of many animals then inhabiting the country were preserved. These lake and river sediments now appear as terraces of clay, gravel and volcanic débris along the foothills. Searching the terraces for fossils in the winter of 1910, I found remains of several different species of mammals, turtles and fishes, the most interesting of all discoveries being a complete carapace of a large glyptodont, an animal related to the armadillos. Different genera of glyptodonts existed during Miocene, Pliocene and Pleistocene times, ranging in distribution from Patagonia to northern Texas, Florida and California, and were especially numerous on the pampas of Argentina during the PleistoIt is a curious coincidence that the range of distribution of this order of animals covers the territory influenced by the Spanish tongue in the Americas. cene. The new specimen was found on the San Miguel ranch twelve miles west of Ameca. As the Madero revolution was in progress at the time of the discovery, I did not as usual camp near the spot where the work was to be done, considering it safer to sleep in the town with its little colony Complete carapace of the new glyptodont Brachyostracon, four feet eight inches long, three feet one inch high of half a dozen American families. Thus there was a ride to and from the specimen, which consumed several hours each day, but the changing rural scenes more than compensated for the loss of time. Every mile was through scenes primitive as in Bible times. It is difficult to realize that within four days' travel from New York, people are using the methods of soil culture employed two thousand years ago. In the valley, whiteclad men cultivated the fields with wood pointed plows drawn by oxen, or planted sugar cane, while on the hills and high above on the mountain sides others worked in the fields of century plants from which tequile, the native alcoholic drink, is brewed. The peon field hand is a picturesque figure in his white cotton shirt and trousers, with a straw sombrero and fibre sandals. A bright red blanket over his shoulder serves as a coat when the air is chill, and at night is his bed. In the early hours of the day groups of blanketed figures shuffle along the road to and from town, some carrying immense loads on their heads or backs. But the burro is the common carrier of the mountainous districts. What the camel is to desert Africa, the burro is to Mexico. Caravans file over the mountain trails loaded with bales, boxes and lumber. At first sight it is rather disconcerting to see a stack of hay or a shock of corn moving along the road apparently of its own volition. Closer scrutiny however reveals four tiny feet underneath, sufficient evidence that a burro is the motive power. Straggling groups of adobe huts and thatched shelters of the peons are often the scattered along the streams and at springs. On wash days the women congregate along the streams, washing the clothes on flat stones same stones on which they grind their daily corn. Having had fossils injured by curious natives in northern Mexico, I feared that harm might come to this valuable specimen if found by them, so exercised considerable care to ride to it unobserved until it should be In the valleys white-clad men cultivate the fields with wood pointed plows drawn by oxen What the camel is to desert Africa, the burro is to Mexico completely prepared for transportation. When ready for shipment it weighed over four hundred pounds. The work of carrying the fossil to Ameca proved a considerable problem. An oxcart, because of its uncertainty was not to be considered, therefore the mail-carrier of the town was persuaded to transport the fossil in his wagon - that is, from the point where the road began. From the bad lands down to this road eight peons carried the specimen suspended from a pole, making a picturesque group, as are all seen along Mexican roads. Before this discovery there were in existence two glyptodont carapaces from the valley of Mexico, both preserved in Mexico City. They with this third specimen from Ameca show characters in the teeth, pelvis and carapace that distinguish the Mexican glyptodonts from known South American genera. On account of the peculiar shape of the carapace, which is short and high, this genus |