AN ACCOUNT OF A DAY's EXCURSION TO BUTE. 127 



which will be noticed in the remaining part of this sketch. On walking over 

 this external covering of the rocks, we found it not to be very sure-footing; 

 for one was slipping and making a narrow escape from a tumble; another 

 with boots not wholly impervious to water, was stepping into some concealed 

 pool, and extracting his foot a degree or two cooler, and with a little addi- 

 tional moisture; we found all the pools concealed, in fact completely covered, 

 with this sea-weed. Many of the shells, in consequence of this protection, are 

 in beautiful condition; even some of the specimens which we picked up of the 

 common limpet, (Patella vulgata,) were very fine. Patella (Lottia) testudinalis, 

 Miiller — a shell which has hitherto been considered rare or local in its 

 distribution, we found in great abundance; on almost eveiy stone we took up 

 there were, at least, two; but from one stone in particular, about a foot 

 square, we detached thirty specimens. Many were of large size, and beautifully 

 marked. There is a good figure of this shell in ^-'Thorpe's British Marine 

 Conchology," (Frontispiece, figure 103.) One of our party found a remarkably 

 fine specimen, having the entire inside of a dark brown colour, approaching to 

 black; and others were obtained, with markings of an opposite character, the 

 inside being of a dull white, without the dark brown on the muscular 

 impression.* We did not observe Lottia virginea, though in some parts of 

 the Frith it is common. 



Chiton marginatus and C. levis occurred but sparingly, and the specimens 

 we got were small; they are much more plentiful in the east of Scotland. The 

 game may be said of Trochus cinereus. The state of the tide precluded our 

 getting at the ground where Pholas Candida is very abundant; but we were 

 not much too late; for one of our party, who, in his enthusiasm had rushed 

 into the water, said he was standing on the bank which contained them. 

 This molusk burrows in stifi" clay, in this locality, and can with difficulty be 

 dislodged. Modiola xmlgaris, old and young, we found in great numbers, in 

 company with Echini and Star- fishes, in fissures of the rocks clad with sea- weed. - 

 Occasionally we met with a few Myae or Gapers in the wet sand, protruding 

 an inch or so above the surface, but it was extremely difficult to get a 

 specimen without breaking it, on account of the rapidity of the movements 

 of the animal downwards. 



Of the Echinodermata, we procured a few good specimens. Opliiocoma 

 hell is, we found in company with Asterias rubens; the latter occurred in 

 profusion, and all were of a deep purple colour, with the exception of one 

 or two gigantic individuals, which displayed the usual hues, and measured 

 nearly a foot across. One of our party, an experienced collector, who had 

 taken the precaution to furnish himself with the proper apparatus and 



* This species is the Patella Clealandi of Sowerby, and the F. Clypeus of Bro\sni. It does 

 not appear to be found on the east coast of Scotland, the only localities citjed by authors being 

 Bangor in "Wales, and the Isle of Man. In Scotland it occurs at Gourock, besides the locality 

 we have mentioned. Its measurement, from the anterior to the posterior margin, is usually from 

 half an inch to an inch in diameter. One large and beautiful specimen, in the cabinet of 

 'ilr. J. Gray, measures one inch and three-eighths. 



