2l8 NOTE ON A WEST AFRICAN " STRIKE-A-LIGHT." 



We have only seen one example of this species from 

 Walton, and that is in the collection of one of us. It is one of 

 the most ancient forms of our present fauna, since it occurs not 

 only in the Pliocene of St. Erth, but also in the Lower Miocene 

 of Wiesbaden, the Middle Miocene of Monthelan, near Tours, 

 and in the Lower Pliocene (Congeria Beds) at Mauer, near 

 \'ienna. 



It is worthy of note that these six species are Southern 

 forms, the two species of Palndestyina belonging in all probability 

 to the old Aralo-Caspian fauna. Dr. R. F. Scharff, who has 

 recently called attention to the origin of our fauna, ' states 

 (I.e. p. 8) that the Southern forms must have migrated north- 

 ward from the Continent long ages ago. Of the four species of 

 land shells, three are unknown in a fossil state on the Continent, 

 and two of them are Mediterranean in their present distribution, 

 while the nearest allies of Pyvamidula vysa occur in Madeira. Is 

 it too much to suppose that these forms belong to the old 

 Lusitanian fauna as described by Edward Forbes, and that they 

 have reached this country from the south-west over land now 

 sunk beneath the sea ? With the same group we would include 

 Helix pisana (Miill.), Helicella vivgata (Da Cost.), and H. barbara 

 (Linn.), all of which are unknown in a fossil state on the Con- 

 tinent, though they are found in the Pleistocene of Algiers. 

 These are only tentative views, but we venture to think that 

 they are supported by all the available evidence both of 

 geographical distribution and geological history. 



NOTE ON A V\^EST AFRICAN "STRIKE-A- 

 LIGHT." 



By F. W. READER. 



THIS object consists of a leather bag, 2|in. by ifin. square, 

 and a small iron blade which is fascened on the lower edge. 

 The bag contains two ordinary gun flints and some tinder. 



It is the workmanship of the West African tribe of the 

 Soosoos, from whom my uncles, Thomas and Edward Reader 

 procured it with other interesting native objects, during the years 

 1857-66. 



3 R. F. ScHARhF.— r/if History of the European Fauna, London, 1S99. 



