THE NAUTILUS. 91 



Hirase informs me that several times a year all foreign shells 

 are changed in their cases, so that all of these shells are gone 

 over completely each year, each set being exhibited several 



weeks. 



I scarcely had time to make any specific notes but recall a 

 few striking things. At one place they have various sets of 

 land shells arranged in series to include several recognized species 

 in such a manner as to leave almost no breaks perceptibly de- 

 marking specific limits, after a manner with which Mr. Hemp- 

 hill has made us familiar at home with his Helix strigosa group. 

 At another point a case is given up to an exhibition of freaks, 

 each mounted with a perfect specimen of the same species. 

 Among them is a large Haliotis gigantea with two full series of 

 holes. Some of the others are even more striking. Among 

 rarities is a splendid series of Pleurotomarias. 



Last week I ran down for a couple of days to Misaki to visit 

 the Biological Station connected with the Imperial University. 

 There I met Dr. C. Ishikawa who was down with a class of 

 advanced students for the University vacation and Mr. S. Fujita 

 who has charge regularly. Mr. Fujita has done some work on 

 mollusks but his most important work is the artificial produc- 

 tion of marketable pearls a process which he has but recently 

 perfected. After our return from the Kyoto-Obama trip I hope 

 to run down again and do some careful collecting. A single 

 day on the beaches verified Mr. Fujita' s statement that the fauna 

 is very rich. 



We are having a truly delightful visit in Japan ; though I 

 never was so helpless, the language, with no connection to any 

 other that I am familiar with, and offering an entirely new set 

 of roots and word forms, is unbelievably difficult, and I have 

 gotten no hold on it whatever. 



ON BOARD S. S. AMPING MARU. 



October 29, 1914- 



It is some time since I reported, so here goes. We are on 

 our way to Formosa but have a two-day stop off Foochow, 

 China before making the last 24-hour run. Have had a very 

 rapid run through Korea and China, most interesting every- 



