100 



southern shells near Nova Scotia might be accounted for in a 

 similar way by thermal currents from the south. As to the 

 existence of the two currents one above the other, he remarked 

 that it was well known that off the coast of New Jersey the 

 shells from the level of the Gulf Stream are quite different from 

 those below it, the latter being some of the New England spe- 

 cies, such as Cardita iorealis, for instance, as shown by Dr. 

 Gould. 



Mr. Ayres thought that the Starfishes, mentioned by Mr. 

 Stimpson, would prove to be new species. He was inclined to 

 the opinion that none of the Radiata of our shores would be 

 found to be identical with European species. With regard 

 to the Botryodactyla, he remarked, that in dissecting recently a 

 Trepang, he had been struck with its fleshy character as closely 

 resembling the species of that genus. It occurred to him that 

 the Botryodactyla might be made an important article of trade 

 as the Trepang is at the present time in the East. It would 

 appear, from Mr. Stimpson's account, that an abundant supply 

 might be obtained for this purpose. 



Mr. Stimpson replied, that he had compared Solaster endeca 

 with one from Denmark, also several other American with 

 European species, without being able to make out any essential 

 differences. If any differences did exist, he thought they were 

 only such as might be expected among individuals of the same 

 species obtained from opposite and extreme limits of the range 

 of the species. 



As to the value of the Holothurida;} as articles of food, Mr. 

 Stimpson said he had availed himself of the abundance by 

 which he was surrounded at Nova Scotia, and had found them, 

 when boiled, quite as palatable as lobsters. The same was true 

 of some of the Echini of that region. 



Dr. Gould mentioned the fact, that among specimens 

 of the same species of land shells from diflferent localities, 

 there were marked differences. He had been informed, 

 by a conchological friend, that these difTerences are con- 

 stant, and always bear a relation to the geological forma- 

 tions over which the shell is found. He had himself been 

 struck, in coming from Albany, by the abrupt change in the 



