148 DXTBLIN NATXTRAI HISTOET SOCIETY. 



cimens of the rarer shells which I formerly got, so that I confess I was some- 

 what disappointed ; I, therefore, willingly agreed with our steersman to try new 

 ground, and, accordingly, proceeded to the ground called emphatically by that 

 functionary " clean ground," on which the fishermen shoot the spilliards lying 

 between the Deer and Hard Islands, about five miles from land. When we got 

 into twenty fathoms of water the dredges were thrown overboard, and soon I 

 was gratified by obtaining Pectunculi associated with Venus casina, in consi- 

 derable numbers, of large size, and finely coloured. However, we met with so 

 many annoyances from the dredge becoming entangled in rocks, that we shifted 

 more inshore, to ground lying between the Hards and Innislacken Islands, and 

 was astonished to find, on hard and clean sand, Pectunculi in such numbers that 

 it was only a matter of time as to obtaining any number. I present for your in- 

 spection specimens of rich colouring and marking — small and large — the latter 

 measuring nearly three and a half inches, being three-quarters of an inch lar- 

 ger than those recorded by Forbes and Ilanley in their work on the British 

 shells. Associated with Pectunculus I found Venus casina, Solecurtus coarc- 

 iatus, and Cardium Norvegicum. I can entertain no doubt that this is not only 

 the natural habitat of the Pectunculus, but also of the other shells specified, par- 

 ticularly Cardium Norvegicum ; and this may be fairly inferred by comparing 

 them with the same shell found within the bay, the first being smooth and clean, 

 with a bright citron colour, those within the bay presenting an ochreous, worn, 

 and dead appearance. I can only account for this fact by supposing that from 

 the vast accumulation of animal matter thrown together on this bank, gases are 

 extricated which act on the shell, and thus produce the decayed appearance pre- 

 sented in those specimens. The same may be observed in the specimens of 

 Venus casina and Pectunculus found at the top of the bay in 1844. Gratified 

 as I felt by the discovery of this interesting locality, my pleasure was greatly 

 heightened by its affording a clue in solving my problem ; for I ascertained that 

 the current or drift which passed over this spot set directly into Berterbie Bay ; 

 and the seamen told me that sometimes the power of the current is so great that 

 it carries everything coming within its influence into the bay ; or, as they gra- 

 phically described it, by saying "that it sucked up everything that came to its 

 mouth," from which it never returns ; and from hence I think I may fairly con- 

 clude that 1 have obtained a correct solution of my problem; for, the mollusc 

 dying, the shell is disengaged from the position it held during life, and is carried 

 directly by the current or drift into the bay ; and thus the bank increases daily 

 in size, and, ultimately, will shallow the bay. Cardium Norvegicum is subjected 

 to the same process, for it is evident that its natural habitat is on this spot — 

 those found within the bay, as I pointed out, not presenting the same appear- 

 ance of health as those external to it. It may be instructive to remark, that 

 the same association of shells found in Berterbie Bay is also found in Bantry Bay ; 

 and I entertain no doubt that when other bays have been investigated, some sin- 

 gular results will be elicited. Having thus given an outline -of the history of 

 Pectunculus glycimeris, I beg to call the attention of the Society to an able pa- 

 per by the late Professor Edward Forbes, entitled, "The Geological Relations 

 of the existing Fauna and Flora of the British Isles," contained in the "Me- 

 moirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain." In this paper he lays it down 

 as an axiom that all animals and plants have specific centres, from which the 

 members of the family radiate by different processes. If it would not be consi- 

 dered very presumptuous in such an humble votary of science as myself, I might 

 fairly conclude, from the great number, large size, and varied colouring, that if 

 I have not reached the centre, I have, at least, come across a most flourishing 

 colony of this interesting species. I shall take an early opportunity of again al- 

 luding to Professor Forbes's paper. I think I would be guilty of great injustice 

 if I did not bring the merits of the dredge on the table prominently forward — • 

 invented and manufactured by our fellow-citizen, Mr. Rochford. It was my 

 good fortune to be possessed of this admirable instrument on my late visit to 

 CoDnemara, and it is owing to its capability that I have the satisfaction of plac- 



