Linnaan Society. 455 



the views of authors with reference to their affinity, adopting that 

 first promulgated by Adanson and now generally adopted, that they 

 are immediately related to Patella. A description of the animal is 

 then given, and the differences between it and the animal of Patella 

 pointed out, as well as the modifications to which it is subject in 

 different species. The distinctions between the shells and animals 

 of Chiton and .Chitonellus are more particularly insisted on ; and the 

 author proceeds to point out a marked difference in the habits of the 

 two genera. He states, on the authority of Mr. Cuming, that while 

 the Chitons live attached to stones and fragments of shells in deep 

 water, or more frequently under masses of stone and on exposed 

 rocks about low- water mark, the Chitonelli dwell in holes and cavi- 

 ties, either of natural formation or bored by other Mollusca, into 

 which they thrust themselves by attenuating their bodies in a sur- 

 prising manner, sometimes turning completely at right angles and at 

 angles again. Those which were only partially imbedded were found 

 to have entered holes too small to contain them, and the posterior 

 part of their bodies remained suspended externally, fat and swollen, 

 and constantly separating from the anterior half when any attempt 

 was made to draw them forcibly from their retreats. These remarks 

 apply to Chitonellus fasciatus, collected by Mr. Cuming in the Phi- 

 lippine Islands in great abundance and of extraordinary dimensions, 

 extending frequently to a foot or more in length. Capt. Sir E. Bel- 

 cher and Mr. Adams collected the same species in the Korean Archi- 

 pelago, where they were found in company with Chitons and noticed 

 to be of locomotive habits ; the Chitonellus seeking retirement in a 

 hole or cavity, but crawling away from its attachment on being dis- 

 turbed, at about the pace of the common garden snail. 



For these reasons, although Mr. Reeve does not regard the other 

 subdivisions proposed in the genus Chiton as of greater value than 

 sectional, he considers Chitonellus as entitled to rank equally with 

 Chiton in its most extended form, being in his opinion clearly di- 

 stinguished both in structure (as regards the condition of the mantle 

 and its system of calcification) and in habit. 



March 2. — The Lord Bishop of Norwich, President, in the Chair. 



Read " Notes on the seals of Linnaeus." By the Baron d'Hom- 

 bres Firmas. Communicated by the Secretary. 



In these notes, intended to form part of the preliminary matter 

 prefixed to the correspondence of Linnaeus with his uncle, Boissier de 

 Sauvages, which the Baron is about to print for private distribution, 

 an account is given of the seals employed by Linnaeus in that cor- 

 respondence, and of some others with which M. d'Hombres Firmas 

 has become acquainted from other sources. Of all of these he gives 

 figures, adding the armorial bearings of Linnaeus as designed by 

 himself, and as altered to suit the rules of heraldry by the Chancellor 

 De Fitas, the seal of the Linnean Society, and the reverse of a medal 

 struck in 1758, in honour of Linnaeus, by order of Count Tessin, 

 Marshal of the Diet. 



