TIIK N AH ni, i;s. 1 2!) 



nearly 7, the first one smooth and rounded, the rest lightly concave 

 a'love and sculptured with four equal headed spirals (and some inter- 

 stitial threads on the last whorl or twoj, with a much broader, more 

 prominent spiral rih at the periphery and projecting ahove each su- 

 ture, where a narrower spiral shows below it ; the last whorl quite 

 convex just below the prominent rih, the base moderately convex, 

 and sculptured with 14 beaded spirals, contiguous toward the periph- 

 ery, but more separated and with interstitial threads in the intervals 

 on the rest of the base, which is further sculptured by h'ne, curved, 

 radial grooves. Three or four of the spirals are rather sparsely 

 dotted with red. Aperture trapezoidal, white and pearly within ; 

 columella pearly, white and concave above, ending below in a slight 

 tooth. Alt. 10^, diam. 9| mm. 



Caxambas Pass, S.-W. Florida, collected in 1S98 by Dr. -T. W. 

 Velie, in whose honor it is named. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



ONLY A ONE-TENTH OYSTER CHOI-. This has been the poorest 

 year in ten in the oyster industry of Maryland. In years past from 

 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 bushels of oysters have been taken from the 

 bay. This }ear the yield will be about 1,000,000 bushels. 



The question of legislation for the protection of the oysters has 

 agitated the state for years, but in the meantime the bivalve is dis- 

 appearing. Notwithstanding the diminishing supply, however, there 

 have been sufficient oysters to keep going all the packing houses in 

 Baltimore, which employ about 5000 people. Nearly 500 dredging 

 boats are sailing out of Baltimore. Pliila. Record, Dec. 30. 



BIVALVE SHELLS USED IN MANILA i <>K WINIHMV PANI>.- 

 In Manila, where there is an interesting Held open to the naturalist, 

 the natives have, an odd substitute for glass. It is a bivalve shell of 

 about nine inches of surface, so transparent that, print can he readily 

 seen through it, and admitting a mellow light in a room where it 

 is used as window glass. The shell is an attractive object, flat, 

 and in appearance resembles isinglass. One could almost imagine 

 that it was some skillful invention of the natives, could not (he growth 

 rings be readily observed. The outer side of the shell is perceptibly 

 rough, while the interior i< perfectly glazed over and in the light has 

 the pearly lustre found in manv of the thin-shelled, oyster-like niollusks 



