Mr. Broderip on two new Shells from the Mauritius, 199 



In the Mauritius, it is the amusement of the place to watch over 

 the trim apparatus of lines hung over some sand-bauk to tempt 

 the various brilliant species of Oliva which there abound, or to 

 wait for the more rare approach of the Harp Shell, till the rich 

 hues of its inhabitant are seen glowing through the clear blue 

 water, in the rays of a Tropical rising sun.* 



Many boxes, the produce of no very long residence at the 

 island, have of late been sold at high prices ; and, although there 

 has been no want of fishing there, two new species, hitherto un- 

 published, (unless one of them has been confounded by Lamarck 

 with his Ranella crumend) have lately come to my hands. 



I proceed to describe these shells, and hope that the fishers of 

 the Mauritius will proceed to still further discoveries. 



Ranella. foliata. Foliated Frog. 



H. testa ovato-conica, veutricosa, transversim subgranulosor 

 sulcata, interstitiis longitudinaliter striatis, albente vel sub-rose^; 

 anfractibus tuberculorum acutiusculorum (raediis longissimis) 

 iBerie linico armatis ; anfractus basalis sulcis caeteris hinc et hinc 

 obsolete tuberculatis ; labio coluraellari expanse^ foliato ; labii 



* My friend Lieutenant Harford, who was some time on the island, and who 

 brought home some very fine Mauritian shells, informed me that the fishery 

 for Olives (OKua, Lam. Valuta oliva^ etc., Lin.) is carried on by means of a 

 line running parallel with the bottom of the sea, to which line small nooses, 

 each containing a piece of the arms of a cuttle fish (Sepia) are appended, so 

 that the bait touches the bottom. To one end of the principal line a chainr 

 shot is attached by way of mooring : over this is a buoy and a flag. The 

 other end of the principal line swings with the tide, and this end is marked 

 also by a buoy, surmounted by a small flag. The fishery is carried on in 

 very deep water over sand-banks, and the best times are morning and even- 

 ing. The apparatus is occasionally drawn up with caution, and the Olives, 

 which are found adhering to the bait, taken into tjie boat. My friend also 

 informed me that the animal of the Harp-shell (Harpa, Lam. Buccinum 

 Ilarpa, &c. Lin.) is of a rich vermillion red. The Harps are taken on sand- 

 banks with a small rake to which a net is attached, when it is low water, at 

 night and at sun- rise; and he conjectured that they were, at those times, put 

 upon their feed. They h^ve, as he said, been known to take the bait lai4 

 for the Olives. 



