120 THE NAUTILUS. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



ANCYLI ADHERING TO WATER BEETLES Two interesting ex- 

 amples of Ancyli attached to the elytra of water beetles, recently 

 came under my observation through the kindness of Mr. Albert P. 

 Morse, who collected them at Wellesley, Mass. One a Dinutes 

 (whirligig beetle), collected April 26, 1900, has an Ancylus fuscus 

 Adams, 4x2.5 mm., situated dorsally and extending about equally 

 over each elytron ; whether it adhered with sufficient strength to 

 prevent the beetle flying, can only be surmised. The habit of Dinutes 

 in gyrating on the surface of the water, often in the bright sun-light 

 for hours at a time, is not strictly conducive to the life of an Ancylus 

 thus situated, for it would be entirely out of water while the beetle 

 was on the surface, although during the early spring the beetle prob- 

 ably spent most of its time beneath the water. 



The other, a Dytiscus, collected in October, 1898, carried an An- 

 cylus parallelus Hald., 5 x 2.5 mm., near the end of the left elytron. 

 Both cases present an interesting factor in the distribution of species, 

 which probably in many instances accounts for the sudden appear- 

 ance of mollusks in small, artificial ponds. C. W. JOHNSON. 



CLAM-OROUS CROWS. The following newspaper clipping, if true, 

 shows that the amiable, inoffensive clams of the Northwest coast are 

 having a hard time of it, and are entitled to the sympathy of all con- 

 chologists without distinction of age, sex or color : 



" Scare-crows are now placed upon slate roofs in Victoria, B. C. 

 The crows, which swarm on the beach and dig for clams, fly over the 

 buildings and drop the clams on the roof, by this means breaking the 

 shells and leaving the meat free to be eaten. In many cases, when 

 the clams were dropped, the slate would be broken." 



Such conduct on the part of the crows is certainly discreditable ; 

 they should be placed on the black-list. 



Ill fare the clams to hungry crows a prey, 

 And brought to grief in such a crow-ill way. 



The clam is probably Saxidomus giganteus Desh., quite common 

 in the Vancouver region and the principal edible clam of both 

 " Injuns" and white folks thereabout, and solid enough to break roof 

 slates if not political ones, when dropped from a considerable elevation. 

 S. giganteus is abundant between ordinary tide marks ; it is great in 

 soup ; an excellent clam. ROBT. E. C. STEARNS, Los Angeles, Cal. 



