84 THE NAUTILUS. 



Pyramidula, and am pleased to learn on the authority of Dr. Pilsbry 

 that the proper position of this large and varied group will soon be 

 made known. 



Los Angeles, Cal., October 12, 1902. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



" SLUGS " AS MEDICINE While in Port Antonio, Jamaica, last 

 March, I collected some Veronicella sloanei Cuv., and having noth- 

 ing to put them in, wrapped them in paper and left them on a table 

 in my room at the hotel. During my absence they escaped and be- 

 gan crawling around, much to the disgust of the colored chamber- 

 maid who happened in about that time. On my return she filed a 

 vigorous protest against the " nawsty things," and wanted to know 

 what I intended to do with them. She then informed me that they 

 were good for all forms of lung trouble and asthma. They are used 

 as follows : Take a green cocoanut, cut off the end. and drop a good 

 sized "slug" into the milk, in which it will dissolve. The milk is 

 then drunk and is a " sure cure for asthma." 



It would be interesting to know whether this is a survival of the 

 old European belief in the efficacy of the slime of " slugs " in pul- 

 monary troubles, carried to the island by the early English settlers, 

 or whether it is a part of the African pharmacopoeia introduced with 

 the slaves. GEO. H. CLAPP. 



NOTES ON HALIOTIS RUFESCENS Sw. For several months a 

 company of Japanese fishermen has been engaged in collecting 

 abalones on San Clemente Island, and drying the animals for the 

 Japanese and Chinese markets. 



Among the shells sent from this island to San Pedro for shipment 

 I recognize quite a large number of fine Haliotis rufescens Sw., 

 which is not, or is only very rarely found along the shore of the 

 mainland of southern California at the present time. 



Last year I collected an interesting series of this beautiful shell in 

 the shell-mounds on San Nicolas Island, but most specimens of the 

 shell in those mounds are broken or in an advanced stage of disin- 



tegration. 



Recent collectors of abalones report living specimens of the red 

 abalone very rare on San Nicolas Island. HENRY HEMPHILL. 



