10 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



out for some distance into the Bay, we reached Shelly Beach. 

 This we were assured was one of the best spots for shells along 

 the shore, but with the exception of a rather broken specimen of 

 Pinna tasmanica, a few worn shells of Haliotis albicans and H. 

 emmce, and a well-preserved specimen of the Sea Urchin, 

 Goniocidaris tuharia, nothing of importance was secured. This 

 was, however, recognized to be owing to the recent storm. A 

 return was then made to the camp, which was reached before 

 dark, where we found the remainder of our party awaiting us. 

 After a well-earned tea, which we all did ample justice to, our 

 specimens were brought out, sorted, and otherwise attended to, 

 and the remainder of the evening was spent in conversation 

 around a good fire, which the coolness of the evening permitted 

 us to enjoy. 



Rising early on Saturday morning, with the sun just peeping 

 over the horizon, breakfast was got over, and the whole party 

 made their way to the reef close by, where we were all soon 

 busily engaged. Keen interest was taken in the work, and, as is 

 usual with our Club excursions, each one generously studied his 

 fellow-members' interests as well as his own. By working with 

 the ebb tide we were able to devote a good deal of time on the 

 reef, and full opportunity was taken to make the most of it. A 

 number of interesting shells were secured, while the crustaceans 

 had a most restless time. Even the unexpected breaking of a 

 portion of decomposed rock, and the equally unexpected 

 immersion in the pool, causing a great displacement of water, did 

 not damp the ardour of one of our most energetic companions, 

 who simply regarded it as part and parcel of the day's work. In 

 some of the small pools several of the curious Sharp-nosed Crabs, 

 with their seaweed coverings, were found, but it was only the 

 experienced eye which detected them, so closely did they 

 resemble their surroundings. 



Among the Polychsete worms several line specimens of the large 

 iridescent Bristle-worms, belonging to the family Eunicid^e were 

 ound, in their tubular coverings, and required careful handling, 

 owing to their liability to wriggle themselves into several pieces, 

 and a number of other smaller forms, such as Cirratulus, with its 

 long thread-like segmental appendages ; Polynoe, with their curious 

 soft dorsal scales, very common near the outer edges of the reef, 

 and a number of other forms equally interesting. A lovely 

 specimen of a Sabellid Worm was secured, in its flexible, leathery 

 tube, which measured about 9 or lo inches in length, the animal 

 itself being about 4^^ inches long without the crown. The large 

 branchial crown, consisting of a considerable number of filaments 

 about 2 inches long, and attached to a semicircular base, was a 

 beautiful sight when expanded in the water. The ugly-looking 

 shell-fish Scutus anatinus, varying in size from i to 3 inches long, 



