70 THE NAUTILUS. 



the weaker ; but, until I overcome my repugnance to the killing 

 and dissecting of molluscs, I shall take more enjoyment in studying 

 their homes than in getting acquainted with the inmates themselves. 

 Being a new member of this Society, and also a novice in concho- 

 logical lore, I can hardly hope to write anything of much interest 

 to the older members, but, perhaps, the younger ones may care to 

 hear about some of my most interesting (to me) " finds." * * 

 I shall never forget an expedition, taken in the early part of this 

 year ('94), to Long Beach, in company with a friend, when our 

 enthusiasm for collecting had juet begun. Leaving Long Beach a 

 short time before noon, we started to walk to Alamitos Bay, neither 

 of us knowing the distance. We picked up so many shells that, be- 

 fore we were half way there, we were very tired ; but determined to 

 reach our destination, we pressed on, were caught in a shower, and 

 finally reached the bay more dead than alive, judging from our 

 feelings. We found nothing very valuable, but we fairly staggered 

 under the load of shells we carried home, which place we did not 

 reach until after dark. We were told the distance was five miles 

 each way, and we believed it. 



Last summer, during a trip taken with the Chatauqua Assembly 

 School in Oonchology, 1 picked up a shell near a fisherman's cot- 

 tage on Tim Point, which proved to be a small specimen of Siphon- 

 alw b'lletti Fbs. While cleaning it, I noticed, about two inches 

 from the lip, on the inside, a rusty looking spot, through which the 

 water trickled. After using quite a quantity of acid to take off the 

 accumulation of foreign matter on the outside which nearly hid the 

 form of the shell, I discovered opposite the rusty spot, and imbedded 

 in the hard shell, a tiny mussel, halt' an inch long. I thought I had 

 made a discovery ; but, alas! on turning to " West C..:ist Shells," I 

 found that these little mussels grow sometimes in large shells. I 

 think it is Adula sty/hia Cpr., but so small and delicate! How 

 did it carve a home to fit it so perfectly? 



I have taken a good deal of pleasure in rude attempts to draw 

 and paint some of the more simply formed shells, but I find it is 

 difficult to reproduce them faithfully. 



When in San Francisco, I had the privilege of a day in the 

 Academy of Sciences, of looking at Tryon's magnificent work, 

 which was beautifully illustrated in colors. I also had the pleasure 

 of visiting Mill's College and the University at Berkeley, and of 

 seeino- the collections of shells at both these institutions, and I shall 



