THE MUSEUM 



21 I 



An appropriation of $10,000 has 

 been made in Maryland to establish a 

 geological Survey. The new state 

 geologist is Prof. W. Clark. 



Prof. A. Agassiz has chartered a 

 special steamer in Australia for the 

 purpose of exploring the great barrier 

 reefs. 



The University of Minnesota has 

 sent Mr. Roy M. Squires to Venzuela 

 in the interest of botany. His main 

 field of labor will be in the mountain- 

 ous districts southeast of Barancas. 

 He will be absent f< months and as the 

 district is practically unexplored from 

 a botanical standpoint new and rare 

 finds will doubtless be made. 



Notes and Illustrations on Showy 

 Sea Shells. 



Fig. I. 



Stiombus thersites, a very light col- 

 ored species from the Pacific. 



Fig. 2. 



Strombus cancellatus, a small ribbed 

 species from 'the Atlantic. 



Fig. 3. 

 Strumbu's luhuanus is a species from 

 the Indian and Pacific ocean. Com- 

 mon at Singapore and we received a 

 fine lot from Japan in our last ship- 

 ment. It is a fawn colored species 

 marked with white. The inside is 

 purple and black, with the external 

 right edge red and striped. 



Fig. S. 

 Cpraea mappa is quite common at 

 the Phillipines. It is oval shaped, the 

 outside being a violet color, having 36 

 teeth on one side and 42 on the other. 

 It is beautifully ornamented through- 

 out with bright spots, the inside being 

 of a yellowish color. Nearly all true 

 Cypraea have a beautiful natural pol- 

 ish, and are rightly considered one of 

 the most showy families. 



